Shopping Show & Tell #1

Welcome to my first Shopping Show & Tell!!  This is where I'll highlight my favorite purchases and best deals from my shopping outings!!

I went to Micheal's during their Veterans Day sale and used my handy-dandy 25% off coupon in addition to their great sale prices!!  Even though I bought well over 20-30 things I'll only show a few things.

Michael's

1. 25yd of 1 3/8" Velvet Ribbon: Original price=$6.99, Sale price=$3.74, Price w/Coupon=$2.81
2. Pack of 6 "Smoothfoam" Balls: Original price=$3.99, Price w/Coupon=$2.99

1. 25-Pack White Blank Card & Envelopes: Original Price=$4.99, Price w/Coupon=$3.74
2. 20-Pack Natural Blank Cards & Envelopes: Original Price=$4.99, Clearance Price=$1.99, Price at register=$0.01
I'm pretty sure this was entered wrong somehow!! I highly doubt it was supposed to be only 1 cent!!

1. 80-piece Decoupage Tissue Paper: Original Price=$2.99, Clearance Price=$0.89

2. 8-Pack Metallic Markers: Original Price=$5.99, Clearance Price=$1.99

3. Texture Magic: Original Price=$5.99, Price w/Coupon=$4.87

Grrrr!! This was in the clearance isle and marked $1.99 but I didn't catch it until just now!!

4. Inkabilities Floral Brights Sponge Kit: Original Price=$15.99, Clearance Price=$5.99 (I also have the Earthtones set like this and can't wait to try them out!!)

5. Eyelets Multi-Pack: Original Price=$14.99, Clearance Price=$5.99

1. Paper Mache Skulls: Original Price=$1.99, Clearance Price=$0.39

2. Skeleton Ribbon: Original Price=$1.99, Clearance Price=$1.00

3. 24-Sheet Halloween Scrapbook Papers: Original Price=unknown, Clearance Price=$0.99

4. Halloween Tote: Original Price=$2.49, Clearance Price=$0.49

Yesterday I went to Dollar Tree and Ollie's Bargain Outlet and got some great deals there too!!

Dollar Tree

Everything was $1...of course!!

Ollie's Bargain Outlet

8x10 Canvas

Original Price=$2.49 (That's already really cheap!)

Ollie's Price=$1.69

The original price was already really cheap!!  I bought 3 of them.

9x12 Drawing Pad with 50 Sheets of 70lb Paper

Original Price=$7.99

Ollie's Price=$1.99

45 Sq. Ft. Holographic Foil Gift Wrap

Original Price=$6.99

Ollie's Price=$1.99

This stuff is so flippin' cool because in regular light it's plain silver, but in bright light, such as sunlight, it has those neat holographic flecks in it!! I can't wait to use this for various craft projects!!

Thanks for reading!!  Until next time...

Tutorial: Fabric-Covered Notebook (Part 2)

This is the second half of the Fabric-Covered Notebook.  You can find the first half HERE.

In this part of the tutorial, I'll show you how to...

- Attach the fabric to the cover

- Hide the edges of your fabric

- Add the belt-style closure

I'll list the supplies from Step 1 again so you can be sure you have everything.

SUPPLIES

Necessary Items
- Notebook (I used a mini composition notebook)
- Glue (I used Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue)
- White or black cardstock
- Fabric
- Coordinating cardstock or other thick paper
Optional Items
- Grey-board (cereal box cardboard)
- Wide ribbon or strip of fabric
- Coordinating 1/8" satin ribbon
- Large-eye sewing needle
- Coordinating beads
- Charm
- 2 Jump-rings or split-rings

Step 5: ADD  THE FABRIC COVER

The most important part of this step is making sure your fabric gets glued down straight!  If there is a pattern to your fabric and it's crooked, it will be noticeable!

Prep Fabric

Cut enough fabric to cover the entire book and have about 1" extra on all sides.

Iron the fabric if it's wrinkled; this is optional because when you glue it down you pull out the wrinkles anyway.

Glue Fabric - Front

Make sure your fabric is straight, especially if it has lines on it like mine! You will notice if it's not straight when you look at it from the side.

Put a thin layer of glue on the white/black cardstock part of the front cover, but not the spine.

Smooth out any "globs" of glue because you don't want a lumpy book.

Gently place your fabric onto the cover, making sure it's still straight.

Gently tug on the edges of the fabric to remove any loose fabric or wrinkles.

Put a little bit of pressure on the cover to make sure the fabric is glued down.

Glue Fabric - Back

Flip the book over and wrap the fabric around the book.

If the fabric was straight on the front, it should stay straight when you wrap it around to the back.

Put a think layer of glue on the white/black cardstock part of the back cover and still none on the spine.

Gently pull the fabric away from the spine and lay onto the cover.

Gently tug on the edges of the fabric to remove any loose fabric or wrinkles.

Put a little bit of pressure on the cover to make sure the fabric is glued down.

Step 6: GLUE DOWN FABRIC EDGES

For some books you may want to skip the "Glue Corners" part of this step, but since my book had rounded edges, it was important to glue them the way I did. 

The Spine

Close your book and determine the width of the spine.

Cut straight lines where your fabric is bent to make a "flap".

Open the book to make the fabric puff up at the spine.

Fold the "flap" down behind your fabric; you may need to use a pencil to push it down insides if your using a smaller book.

Repeat these steps on the other side of the spine.

Cut a little triangle of fabric off so it looks like the photo; it'll make gluing the edges down much neater.

Glue the Corners

Put a thin layer of glue in the corners of the inside of your cover.

Gently pull the corner of the fabric at a 45-degree angle towards the opposite corner of the cover.

Lay the corner into the glue.

Gently tug the fabric so it's tight around the corner.

Press down to make sure the fabric is attached; you may have to hold for a moment so it doesn't come loose.

Repeat these steps for the remaining corners.

Glue the Edges

Put a thin layer of glue that covers about 1" from the outside edge.

Gently pull the fabric towards the inside of the book.

Lay the fabric into the glue.

Gently tug the fabric so it's tight around the edge.

Repeat these steps for the top and bottom edge of the cover and then glue down the edges of other cover.

Step 7: ADD CLOSURE (optional)

If your cover is really thick and you did not have to reinforce your cover, you'll definitely want to do this step before attaching your fabric!!  There are many different kind of closures you can add, but this is the one I use the most since it's adjustable.

Prep Ribbon & Cover

Cut a length of ribbon that will wrap around your book at least 1.5 times.

Put a tiny dab of glue on one end of your ribbon (back side).

With both jumprings on your ribbon, fold the end over the jumprings and glue the end to the ribbon, making a loop.

Determine where you would like your closure and your jumprings to lay on the front cover.

Notice where the glued section of ribbon is located and put a dot just under it.

Using an awl, put two holes on either side of the dot; this will be where you sew the closure onto the cover.

With your knot on the inside, push the needle through one of the holes in the cover.

Sew your closure in place using the holes you've made.

With the book closed, determine where you want to secure the back of the closure; I usually put my stitch about 1/2"-1" from the edge.

Using an awl, place two holes in this location just as you did for the front cover.

With the knot on the inside, push the needle through one of the holes in the cover.

Sew the ribbon in place using the holes you've made.

Step 8: HIDE FABRIC EDGES

Cut & Glue Cardstock

Cut a piece of cardstock a little smaller than your cover (see photo).

Place a thin layer of glue on the back of the cardstock.

Press it firmly against the inside of the cover.

FINISHED!!

Thanks for reading!!  Until next time...

Veterans Day, 11-11-11, & Fact Friday #1

Happy Veteran's Day!!

A very special Happy Veteran's Day to any previous or current military members that may be reading!!  As some of you may know, my hubby is a Chief in the US Navy and I'm so proud of him each and every day!

Happy 11-11-11 too!!

Are you doing anything crafty to commemorate this special date?  Would say craft supply shopping counts?  That's my plan for the day and I can't wait!!  I'm hoping I find some great Veteran's Day bargains so I can post another Shopping Show & Tell!!

Time flies when you're having fun!!

Can you believe we're getting into the middle of November already?  I certainly am blown away by how quickly fall is passing by!!  I've just been so busy focusing on this blog.  Lately I've been making changes to this blog, adding new features, preparing for the Grand Re-Launch, and of course getting things in place for the big giveaway.  I must say that I'm having a blast working on all of these updates and changes!!

This week’s Grand Re-Launch & Giveaway Facts are...

1. New Blog Feature: Starting in January, every Friday I will feature at least one great blog or project from another crafty blogger!

2. Contest Dates: The contest will run from 12:01AM on January 1st and will end at 12:01AM on January 30th.

Note: This giveaway is not being sponsored, therefore there will be a required minimum number of entries that must be reached in order for the contest to end Jan.30th.  If the minimum is not reached it will be extended until Feb.27th.

3. How to Enter: In order to gain your initial entry for the Grand Re-Launch Giveaway, you'll need to be following or begin to follow Lisa's Craft Blog using GFC (Google Friend Connect). Then you'll need to use the super easy Rafflecopter gadget I post to officially be entered.  After obtaining this first entry, you'll be able to get up to 7 additional entries!!  How to earn those additional entries will be announced soon.

4. Prizes: The 3rd Prize will be an 8x10 padded envelope full of various crafty goodies! The contents of the envelope as well as details about the 1st & 2nd prizes will be included in future "Fact Fridays"! 

Next “Grand Re-Launch Fact Friday”
November 18th is when the next bunch of information will be released so be sure to come back then to see the details!!  Remember that you can see all currently released Grand Re-Launch & Giveaway details on the Grand Re-Launch page.

Don't forget...
Part 2 of the Fabric Covered Notebook tutorial will be published tomorrow morning!! If you haven't checked out Part 1 yet, you should do that before moving onto the second half of the tutorial.

Thanks for reading!! Until next time...

Tutorial: Fabric-Covered Notebook (Part 1)

This 2-part tutorial will show a simple way to cover a notebook with fabric.

It includes details such as...

- Reinforcing flimsy covers

- Adding a built-in ribbon bookmark

- How to work around the spine

- Attaching a belt-style closure

You can use the steps in this tutorial to cover other books and journals, as well as on projects like the Fleur de Lis Wall-Hanging.  

In this portion of the tutorial, I'll show you how to...

- Strengthen your cover

- Make sure you don't see the book's original cover & spine through your fabric

- Add an attached bookmark

Let's get started!!

Step 1: GATHER SUPPLIES

Necessary Items
- Notebook (I used a mini composition notebook)
- Glue (I used Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue)
- White or black cardstock
- Fabric
- Coordinating cardstock or other thick paper
Optional Items
- Grey-board (cereal box cardboard)
- Wide ribbon or strip of fabric
- Coordinating 1/8" satin ribbon
- Large-eye sewing needle
- Coordinating beads
- Charm
- 2 Jump-rings or split-rings

Step 2: REINFORCE COVERS (optional)

The little notebook I used had covers that were made from a single layer of grey-board.  I wanted them to be more sturdy, like a regular book cover.  This is an easy way to strengthen your covers and can be repeated to make them even stronger.

Prep Cardboard

Find or make a straight edge on one side of your cardboard.

Place your cardboard inside one cover with the straight edge towards the spine, making sure it's straight.

Trace around the edge of the cover and cut out.

Repeat this process for the other cover.

Attach Cardboard

Place a relatively thin layer of glue on one side of your cardboard.

Flip over and line up with the outside edge and corners of the cover.

Press firmly to make sure the cardboard is bonding to the cover.

Wipe away any excess glue and trim any overlapping cardboard.

Step 3: ADDING A BOOKMARK (optional)

If giving your book as a gift, adding a bookmark can be another special touch that's functional as well.  It's a great way to personalize your book even further if you're keeping it for yourself.

Make the Bookmark

Cut a length of ribbon that's about 3x the height of your book; remember that it's better to cut it too long than too short!

Tie a knot or a charm on one end of the ribbon.

Thread the other end of the ribbon through the large-eye needle.

Feed the beads on to the needle and pull them onto the ribbon; it will be difficult.

Push the beads all the way down to the knot or charm.

Attach the Bookmark

Place a thin strip of glue down the center of the spine that goes the entire length of the book.

Gently press the end of the ribbon without the beads onto the glue starting at the bottom and working your way towards the top.

Make sure the ribbon is straight and that it's adhering to the book.

Step 4: HIDE THE COVER & SPINE

This step is really important especially if the original cover isn't a solid color.  You'll want to use white cardstock for light to medium fabrics and black cardstock for dark fabric.  Having this behind your fabric guarantees you'll see the true colors of your fabric.

Hide the Cover

Using the white/black cardstock, repeat the steps shown in Step 2.

Hide the Spine

(Sorry for the lack of photos)

Cut a length of grosgrain ribbon that is 1" longer than the spine and wide enough to cover the spine and reach the edges of your white/black cardstock.

Fold your ribbon about 1/2" from the edge and glue in place.

Fold the other end so that the final length of your ribbon is a little shorter than the spine and glue in place.

Place a strip of glue from one end of your ribbon to the other, making sure it's centered.
Gently press the ribbon along the length of the spine.
Make sure the ribbon is straight and that it's adhering to the book.

Glue down the sides of your ribbon to the cover

Press firmly in place.

Note: Sorry about the photos in steps 3 and 4 being out of order.  While writing this I decided it would be easier if I grouped hiding the cover and hiding the spine into one step since they have the same purpose.

Part 2 Coming Saturday!!

I hope you'll join me on Saturday to see how we finish this project!!  In the second half of this tutorial, I'll explain how to...

- Attach your fabric to the cover

- Hide the edges of your fabric

- Add the belt-style closure

Crafty Weekend - Sept. 2011

My best friend, Brook, is a huge inspiration for my creativity.  I go to her regularly with craft-related questions, such as “What kind of project can I use this for?!”  And she always has an answer!

We try to spend 4-6 craft-filled days together each month and we call them our “Crafty Weekends”.  We’re always sure to take lots of pictures of what we make and of course I will be sharing them with you!

Since we’re hoping to get-together this upcoming weekend, I thought I’d post some photos of our projects from September’s “Crafty Weekend”.

Felt Hedgehog Appliqués

  

Brook's                                        Lisa's

These little guys are simply adorable!!  Brook had found the tutorial online and we just made our own patterns.  You can see that we each did ours a little differently.

Shrinky-Dink Buttons

  

                           Brook's                                    Lisa's
Yes, these are buttons made from children's Shrinky-Dink plastic!!  This project was a blast!!  I’ll definitely be posting a tutorial on how to make them in the future!

That big one in Brook’s photo is actually a pendant made from a plastic take-out container that was heated in the oven. How cool!!

Mini-Mushroom Pincushions

Brook's                                        Lisa's

These pincushions are only about 2” tall and have a loop on them so you could attach it to a necklace if need-be.  I’m hoping to have Brook guest post this tutorial sometime soon!

Hand-bound Books

  

                           Brook's                                    Lisa's

I’d never bound my book before and I’m ever so grateful to Brook for teaching me how to do it!!  I’ll be making MANY more books in the future!!

Altered Birdhouses

  

Brook's                                  Lisa's

This was by far my favorite project of the weekend!!  There are so many different ways you could “alter” these little $1 wooden birdhouses and I can’t wait to make more of them!  You can really see the variety of designs you can come up with just by looking at the two ways we decorated ours!

Hopefully Brook and I will be able to get together this weekend and then there will me more fun photos to show you next week!!

Thanks for reading!!  Until next time…

Project: Altered Frame "Beautiful Dreamer"

This is the first altered frame I've ever made and I love it!  I made this back in September, but figured I'd show it to you anyway.

I'm not going to write about all of the details I put into this piece, but I'll point out some of my favorites.

The Collage is made of antique ephemera with the exception of her crown and the lace at the bottom.

The Lace accents I used is very feminine and I just love lace to begin with.

The Frame was "washed" with a mixture of acrylic paint and water and then stamped with acrylics.

The Birds & Butterflies are all stamped images that I've hand-painted with acrylics.

The Dangling Frame is actually hangs freely from the frame and is not attached to the background!!

The Antique Brass charms and findings, including the adorable little bird and cage on top of the frame.

The Flower Adornments are are beading findings with metal scrapbooking flowers glued in the centers.

The Gems with their golden hue really make this piece pop and add some sparkle too.

The Locket is a great little accent with it's metal flower and gem inside

"Beautiful Dreamer" was the name of the dress in the magazine ad cut-out.  I just think she's dreaming of being a queen or princess.

.I hope you are able to use this project as inspiration for your own altered frame project.  I really hope to write a more detailed tutorial in the future!

Thanks for reading!!  Until next time...

Shopping Show & Tell

I LOVE craft supply shopping and I'm sure you do too!!  I also love showing others the goodies I bring home, especially if I got a good deal!!

"Shopping Show & Tell" is a new kind of post that I'll be adding whenever I purchase an item (or many) that I'm really excited about.  Now that you know what it is, here's my very first "Shopping Show & Tell":

What I bought: the Provo Craft YourStory Thermal Book Binder/Laminator Bundle
Why I'm excited: 
1. I've needed a laminating machine for quite some time and the fact that this is a thermal book binder too is a major bonus!
2. I got a great deal!!  I paid under $30 for the entire bundle when the machine alone has a retail value of $79.99!!
3. It's a bundle!!  I love kits and bundles of any kind!  I try to purchase products where I can get the necessary or desirable accessories included.
4. It comes with a new paper slicer!  I've had the worst luck when it comes to paper trimmers so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this one is really good.
Product details: Click HERE to visit the company's product page.
Where I bought it: the Home Shopping Network (HSN) website
Where you can get one: Overstock's YourStory Bundle
Extra information: The photo above is actually from Overstock.com because (1) HSN sold out of these bundles and (2) Overstock is actually selling the bundle for a few dollars less.

My YourStory isn't scheduled to arrive until tomorrow and I've never used one before.  If you have one or have used one, I'd love to hear about it!  Please comment below with any information, tips, etc. that you think I should know.

Thanks for reading!! Until next time...

Grand Re-Launch Update

Each Friday between November 11^th and December 30^th, will now be a “Grand Re-Launch Fact Friday”!!  This is when I will share a little more information about the re-launch coming in January.

Under “Navigation” you should see a new “GrandRe-Launch” link.  This page is your go-to place for information about January’s re-launch.  After I share the new details with you on each “Grand Re-Launch Fact Friday”, I will update that page so it contains to the newly released information.

Although today isn’t a “Fact Friday”, I have some new details to share you!

1. The contest will open for entries at 12:00AM (midnight) on January 1^st.

2. Winner(s) will be announced at 11:00AM on January 31^st.

3. There will be a total of 3 winners chosen (using Random.org).

4. There’s an exciting new post schedule coming January 1^st.

The first “Grand Re-Launch Fact Friday” will be November 11^th so be sure to come back that evening for more details!

Thanks for reading.  Until next time….

Supplies: Amazing Lace Supplier

During October, I was browsing ArtFire with no intentions of purchasing anything, but was having fun looking at various craft supply assortments.  I eventually came across 2 fabulous mix bags of lace at the Crystal's Lace and More shop.  These are the 2 assortments I couldn't pass up and ended up buying within minutes:

1/2LB Bag of Mixed Vintage Lace & Trim ($15 + S&H)
I received a total of 60-75yd (probably more) of gorgeous 3-5yd lengths of lace in my choice of colors!!  

1/2LB Bag of Mixed Lace Remnants ($10 + S&H)
This was a separate assortment of 1/2-3yd lace remnants of lace in my choice of colors that probably totaled more than the advertised 50-60yd.

These pictures do not convey the large quantity or great quality of the lace I received.  For a grand total of $32.50 (including S&H) I received about 140yd of lace that more than filled a standard size grocery bag!


If you think you'll ever use lace in any craft or sewing project, I highly recommend checking out Crystal's shop(s).  Here are links so you can learn more, see what she has available, and of course order some lace!!

Facebook Page

Etsy Shop

ArtFire Shop

Website

Thanks for reading!! Until next time...

Craft Room Organization Update - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my Craft Room Organization Update!  The following photos go around the room, from right to left.  This will be a little long, but I really want to share exactly how I've managed to organize my massive amount of supplies in a relatively small space.

The shelving unit in this picture holds all of my beading, polymer clay, and leather supplies as well as my greeting cards, paper punches, stamps & stamp pads, and a few other bins of miscellaneous supplies.  Each shelf can hold 12 plastic shoe bins with room to spare!!

On the wall, I've worked out a way to keep all of my most used supplies at my fingertips.  The bookshelf will eventually hold my organizational binders, art journals, Keri Smith books, a container of gesso, and a sewing kit.  The  "Bygel rails" from Ikea are actually sold for kitchen organization, but when I saw them, I HAD to have them for my craft room!  The "Bygel wire basket" on the right bar stores my various glues and jewelry pliers and the 3 "Bygel containers" will hold my many scissors, pens, pencils, paint brushes, and markers.  I stretched the hooks on "Dignitet curtain rings with clips" so I could hang zip lock bags containing rubber bands, craft sticks, glue dots, baggies, plastic gems, and my spare clip hooks.

The sewing desk is able to open up so I'm able to pull my chair right up and under the desk.  It has some shelves inside to store supplies and has a shelf underneath in the back to hold my sewing machine when it's not in use.

This shelving unit holds most of my paper-crafting supplies.  I could fit up to 10 plastic scrapbook containers on a single shelf, but I've just intermixed my shoe bins and my scrapbook containers.

All of my 12"x12" scrapbook paper is in the containers on the lower shelf in this picture and on the shelf above that is my new & vintage ephemera, stickers, small papers, fabric paint, and some other miscellaneous supplies.

In this picture and the one above, you can see parts of the closet, which was originally full of household storage and some of my hubby's belongings.  There's still some non-crafty things on the top shelf, but at least I have the rest of the space for supplies.

The shelving unit on the right side of the closet has my craft books, specialty paper, sewing supplies, buttons, ribbon, lace, household paints, and other miscellaneous supplies.

On the left-hand shelving unit, I have most of my mixed-media/"altering" supplies.  This includes cigar boxes, books & journals, puzzles, picture frames, unfinished wood items, artificial flowers/moss/gourds, paper mache items, etc as well as my acrylic paints, paint brushes, and stamp carving supplies.

Between the two shelving units, I've piled my gift wrapping supplies such as bags, paper, and curling ribbon.  To the left of the beige shelves are my art canvases and larger pieces of cut wood.

In a future post, I will give step-by-step instructions on how to organize and store your craft supplies as I have in my craft room.

Craft Room Organization Update - Part 1

Back in February, I posted my New Year's Resolutions and one of them was to complete my craft room.  Although I haven't finished it, I've made a lot of progress and wanted to share what's been done so far.  Since I will show photos of the transformation as well as explaining exactly how I've managed to organize my massive amount of supplies in a relatively small space, I'm going to split this into two posts.  

February 2011

In this picture you'll notice that I had sort of started on getting organized, but still had a looooonngg way to go!!  I'd purchased and set up the big industrial plastic shelving units from Lowe's.  Even though it's buried you can sort of make out my sewing desk.  Also, I'd developed the beginning of my primary storage method: plastic shoe bins.

March 2011

Just before this photo was taken, a good friend of mine helped me during a one week organizing spree and here's what the room looked like after that week.  Here you can see that I'd put more of my supplies into containers and have them on the shelves.  My sewing desk is actually visible in this picture!!  Even though you can't see it, there is a bed 100% covered in craft supplies that is opposite that wall and to the left of this photo is an unorganized closet filled with my hubby's stuff.

November 2011

Even though there are still some boxes left to go through, this is a huge improvement compared to when I started.  My primary method of organizing is using plastic containers, especially plastic shoe bins from Dollar Tree.  To sort the stuff inside the bins, I use 2"x2", 3"x3", and 4"x4" zip lock baggies from PaperMart as well as your standard sandwich, quart, and gallon zip lock bags.  I also like organizational binders and my nifty "Bygel rails" from Ikea that are on the wall above my sewing desk.

In tomorrow's Part 2, I'll go from one side of the room to the other and go into much more detail about how I have organized and stored all my supplies.