Friday's Fresh Find: Our Secret Treehouse

Continuing the theme of finding new and awesome shops that will be coming to MayDay, today's Fresh Find is a fun, fun shop: Our Secret Treehouse. I can't wait to meet them at MayDay - I just bet this dynamic duo is a barrel of laughs.

Woodland Critters XOXO Print

Woodland Critters Squirrely Print

Saurs & More Ankylosaurus Print

Wednesday on the Worktable: A LOT More of the Same

This is crunch week: the last full week before my back-to-back shows. This weekend I will make some iPod/iTouch pouches, about a million bookmarks, and some more jotters, but this week I dedicated to finishing up all the Quilted Tissue Pillows, qClutches, and Gettin' Down to Business Card Wallets that were cut and prepped and ready to be sewn. One of the things I really love about making massive amounts of items in preparation for a show is having stacks of completed items, all uniform in size, just showcasing lots of fun fabrics! One final push, and we'll be show ready, but right now the studio is looks a bit like a war zone!

Un-stuffed Quilted Tissue Pillows look so nice in a stack!

So many fun Gettin' Down to Business Card Wallets to choose from!

This qClutch should be named "Green with Envy." This is definitely a fave!

I couldn't resist making a qClutch in one of my new favorite fabrics.
Michael Miller's Sea Beauties add so much fun to a wallet!

I just love this one. The fabrics are individual favorites of mine
and I think they work so amazingly together!

I added a little extra flair with some satin ribbon around the zipper.
Just another pop of wow!

Monday's Marvel: The qClutch: Refreshed

You may remember a while back that I introduced the clutch-style wallet that I'd just finished designing and was about to launch in the shop. Well, I didn't launch the new design back then, but, after a few improvements, I'm ready to launch it now! Oh how I love these wallets and really love the improvements, too! These are fun to make, but they do take quite some time due to the measuring, folding, and pressing of the interior card pockets. It's worth it though! These wallets just have it all!

Wednesday on the Worktable: Quilted Tissue Pillows

I mentioned on Monday that half the cut fabric on my table was for a new design that I would show you today: Quilted Tissue Pillows! Oh boy, do I love these! About half of my creations come from personal necessity (while the other half come from requests from friends and customers) and these are something I've always needed to have on hand. As an allergy sufferer, there are never enough tissues around when I'm out and about. Having a cute little Quilted Tissue Pillow in my tote bag will be so handy! I hope you think so, too! When they are stuffed with a pocket pack of tissues they look like little pillows (or burritos, but Quilted Tissue Burritos doesn't sound quite as cute!)

Wednesday on the Worktable: Mug Rugs Galore!

I'm busily creating things for my shows this month and today I focused on a collection of my new Mug Rugs. I truly loved making the two I made for a recent swap and adore using the two I received in the swap, so I thought I'd make some for my shop and shows! I have one on my desk at work and one on the corner of my cutting table and love to use them both: whoever thought of a mug mat is absolutely brilliant!

Monday's Marvel: Upcycled Denim Bookmarks: A Tutorial

Boy, did I have fun making these this weekend! These earth-friendly marvels are for MayDay swag bags - the first fifty attendees at MayDay get a free bag of goodies! They are SO easy to make. If you 1. can't make it to MayDay, 2. don't make it to MayDay soon enough to get a swag bag, or 3. want bunches more for your loved ones, here's how to make your own:

1. Get some used, but clean, denim. Use old jeans, pre-spandex if you can find them so the fabric doesn't stretch a lot. Utility fabric or home decor fabric would work just as well. Your piece of denim should be between 6 and 8 inches in height and 2" by however many bookmarks you want. In other words, if you want five 6" high bookmarks, you need a piece of denim 6" by 10" (2" x 5 bookmarks = 10").

Step 1: Old jeans

2. Cut a piece of cotton fabric and a piece of batting the same size as the denim.

Steps 1 and 2: Denim, cotton, and batting cut to size

3. Adhere fusible webbing to the wrong side of both the cotton fabric and the denim.

Step 3: I like to use Heat n Bond fusible webbing, but any kind will work.

Step 3: Follow the webbing manufacturer's directions
to fuse webbing to fabric.

4. Make a quilt sandwich: cotton backing fabric (with fusible side up) + batting + denim (with fusible side down.

Step 4: Quilt sandwich

5. Using an iron, fuse all three together - you will probably have to iron on both sides of the sandwich the be sure that both the cotton fabric and the denim are fused to the batting.

6. Quilt away! You could skip this step if you wanted to. It doesn't alter the function, it just add beauty.

Step 6: Random all-over quilting stitches

Step 6: Completed quilting

7. Measure and cut at every 2 inches to make your individual bookmarks.

Step 7: Cutting individual bookmarks

8. Finish the edges with a zig zag or other decorative stitch.

Step 8: Zigzagged edges on finished bookmarks

To make a no-sew version, make sure to use ultrahold fusible webbing in step 3 and skip steps 6 and 8. Have fun!

Friday's Fresh Find: Art Snack

OK, I'll be honest: today is Saturday. I think my fresh find makes up for the tardiness, though.

I discovered this Art Snack through MayDay - we'll be vending there together at the end of the month. Such cute food-themed items - I cannot wait to meet this artist. So much fun! Now anyone who knows me knows that I have an insane addiction to carrots, so I immediately checked the shop for a cute carrot pillow or two. I didn't find one, but I bet the minute this wonderful crafter meets me, my love for carrots will inspire something to be listed in the Art Snack shop soon! In the meantime, check out the marvelous offerings!

Lemon and Lime Pillow Set

Eggs and Bacon Keychain

Vegetable Clock
(with an adorable carrot at 7 o'clock)

Wednesday on the Worktable: qPouch - Kindle, Nook, and iPad Style

The worktable has been covered with creations in preparation for two shows in April:

• Library Services Craft Show, April 29th at the Rochester Holiday Inn Airport 8 - 5
• MayDay Art + Crafts, April 30th at the Main Street Armory 10 - 4

I plan to introduce three or four new designs at MayDay - likely with a preview at the Library show. I've been working sewing up the first this week: qPouch - Kindle, Nook, and iPad style! Take a look and tell me what you think!

A nicely padded space to keep devices safe!

External pockets on the front and back

Says it all!

Double batting in the body and pockets = quadruple padding for your device

And pretty fabric combinations make the whole design perfect!

Friday's Fresh Find: REaction Gifts

Owen Clockpop

This Friday's Fresh Find comes from right here in Rochester, NY: REaction gifts. I actually found this shop a few weeks ago and refound it yesterday to use one of her listing to illustrate my Thursday's Thoughts on time management. I knew immediately it was the perfect shop for today's find.

Alison Davidson carefully handcrafts her time pieces using materials that are recycled, reused or repurposed. She says, "This helps to conserve our planet’s REsources, and gives nature a better chance of REstoring her balance." I couldn't agree more! This is such a fun and unique way to recycle!



Linda Clockpop

I hope to meet Alison and see her wares in person at MayDay Underground Arts + Crafts on April 30 - we'll be two of over 90 awesome artisans at what I think is the greatest indie art show ever!

Take a look around REaction Gifts and give the shop some love - it's definitely worth the time!

Sylvia Clockpop