Monday, April 30, 2012

A Style Mash-Up

This week is one of my crafting friend's birthday.  Her style and my style couldn't be more different.  She is very well-known for her vintage/collage style.  She's published regularly and has a huge following on her two blogs: Nostalgic Collage' and A Nostalgic Halloween.  My style is clean - not necessarily simple - but definitely clean and fresh.

So for her birthday card, I attempted a mash-up of our styles...



Nature Tiles

This card has other nods to our crafting time together.  Just last week, we discussed how much we both liked "tiled" cards...check!  We both love script and text...check!  And..very early in our crafting relationship, she taught me how easy it is to take a cotton ball and rub from off the paper onto the paper to lightly antique the edges - and how nicely Stampin' Up's Creamy Caramel works for this...check!!

General Supplies
  • Stamps: Papertrey Text Style for backgrounds, Sweet 'n Sassy Happy Day sentiment
  • Paper: Curious Iridescent Poison Ivory (there is a light shimmer on the whole piece)
  • Ink: Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Creamy Caramel
Stamps by Square - starting in upper left
  • Papertrey Ink Turning a New Leaf
  • Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch with gem colored with copics
  • Papertrey Ink Mehndi Medallions
  • Papertrey Ink Wishing You dragonfly with Stickles
  • Stampin' Up Great Friend
  • Stampin' Up Silhouette Sentiments
  • Stampin' Up Silhouette Sentiments
  • Papertrey Ink Honey Bees
  • Stampin' Up Old Olive Taffeta


View Master block {tutorial}



What started a months ago as just an idea is now a tutorial! I hope you make and enjoy this fun little block as much as I do!


There are three pages to print out for this tutorial.

Page One has four Part A/ Part B print one of these.  Page Two has three Part A/ Part B and one Part C.  Template C is for the circles that you will need to place the circle in the block. Why use a compass if you don't have to!



For the viewmaster reel you will need:

1 heptagon center cut, 56 1.5x3in pieces,  and 14 2x2 (approx size) center cuts. 


Cut the paper pieces from Page One and Page Two out. The Part A and B will be cut down the center. The seam allowance for the center line will be added later.




For the outer section of the block you will need a 12.5 in square of fabric,  12 in square of freezer paper, a glue stick and a small piece of poster board.

Please read all the instructions first before starting the block.


Put the fabric and paper up to the light so you can center your fussy cut right in the middle

Place the 2x1.5 solid fabric right sides facing and making sure you have enough of an overlap for 1/4 in seam

Sew between 1 and 2 on the line

fold the line over


and trim your 1/4 in seam. I am fortunate enough to have a small table right next to my machine, you can also trim this with scissors so you do not have to get up  ;o)

Place your next solid on top

flip and sew line between 1 and 3

flip over side and trim


If you have read any of my past paper piecing tutorials, I feel more comfortable prefolding and pretrimming.

Take a metal ruler and prefold lines 4 and 5

with the fabric open I fold the paper and trim to 1/4 in

Flip back over and place the next solid on the top

Sew line between 1 and 4

On the 4 and 5 lines you will sew to the end of the line and then do a securing back stitch


Now add 5

Again use a securing backstitch and sew line between one and five

Ta  Da!!!!!

Make one part A and one part B




On the inner section where you made the securing stitch, make sure to add a 1/4 in seam allowance. This is the only side you will have to add the seam allowance.  The seam allowance is already added  to the other sides.  Trim other sides.


Tear your paper off




When you have a Part A and Part B completed line them up...

This is not the correct alignment

 This one is :o)

Take a Part A and  a Part B and line the window tops and bottoms up, pin




and sew them together

Iron the seam open and this what your first section will look like! Can I hear and Awwwwww, how cute,LOL!  Make sure when you put the sections together that is is flat at the bottom as shown here.

Make six more of these sections using the same method above. When you have finished all seven sections. Place them how you would like them. If you will take notice of what happens when you sew the Part A and Part B together incorrectly lots of seam ripping! Don't be like Go-Go Kim...make flat bottom A and B connections ;o)



Again line up the center windows


Sew together

and you will have this dresden looking circle


Iron all the seams open



Cut a piece of poster board about 2 inches and draw a 1/4 in line across board.


Iron all sides down using the 1/4 in board as a guide. A spritz of sizing helps to keep it in place


Line the hept up and pin it in place.  You may have to spin it a couple of times to find the right spot. Pin at the lines to match up.


Sew it down. I used the inside of my 1/4 in seam foot





The method I used for the next section uses freezer paper.  Laurie Tigner told me about it and I could not be MORE pleased with the results there is one here and there is another here . I based mine on the second link but the first is great to have on hand!  It is BRILLIANT and makes a perfect circle with NO PINNING!   I am not going to re-do all of their fantastic work but will give you a couple of shots of how easy this was for me and if I can do it, I KNOW you can too!!!! I did not have the white school glue so I had to use my handy dandy glue stick and it seemed to work  :o)



Take your circle print out ( Page 3)  and your freezer paper.  The outer circle should measure 6 3/4 diameter.  Cut the freezer paper into a 12 in square and the fabric 12.5in  ( for my mini I made it a little different sized).  I found the center of the freezer paper and cut out the larger circle. Placed my freezer paper shiny side down and ironed. The smaller inner circle of the print out is the 1/2 in from the outer circle so you can use that cut out for a guide if you need it.


Find the center of the 12 in square freezer paper and draw your lines ( sorry for the bad lighting this was at 6am)

Center your print out circle and draw your alignment lines. Then draw your circle
Cut out your circle.




The one thing that was different was I placed the reel on the fabric, I flipped it to check the spacing and pinned it into place before gluing it on.




After you have sewn the reel into the circle ( using the methods in the links) you can add your special touches. Using disappearing marker, I marked what I thought I would like to see on the block.  I used my machine since I need to practice my hand sewing skills.




Make many blocks for a bigger quilt or just make a mini!!!!! I chose to make a mini...this time :o) I can see a whole quilt of this being VERY fun!

I was so happy when some Aurifil thread showed up at my door JUST in time for quilting!!!! I was very concerned since the Bernina is now a bit of a snob when it come to thread :o)  I tried the Pellon 50% cotton/ 50% soy batting and I am very impressed. I cannot wait to see how it works in some of the bigger projects I am doing.



I hope you will have fun making this block and I hope that this tutorial is very helpful :o)  If you have any question please send me an email to mygogolife@yahoo.com and I will be happy to help any way I can.

I respectfully request that this pattern be for personal use only. 

2 wheels...

My third installment for  Elle's Studio April gallery . Recently my eldest learnt to ride his bike without training wheels, my husband and I were pleasantly surprised that he didnt give up even after falling off his bike several time.... I stamped that Elle's Studio tag  with some new Technique Tuesday stamps!




Another fun chevron button from Greatest View.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

World Book Night USA, April 23, 2012

Spreading the love of reading, person to person...

What is World Book Night? World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread the love of reading and books. To be held in the U.S. as well as the U.K. and Ireland, on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks.

World Book Night  through social media, and traditional publicity will also promote the value of reading, of printed books, and of book stores and libraries year-round.
OK, that's the spiel, but what did I do? Well, I gave out books...
Simple huh? Well, not so much...If you remember, I got sick, so I was sick for WBN...but I went and picked up my box of 20 books from 
Up on main street near me right after work on that Friday and before I left for OC and the race...
We all had 30 books to choose from...



There is a quick shot!
I chose one of my all time favorites...

A Prayer for Owen Meany
If you have not read this book...Please do yourself a favor and read it! I first learned of the story a couple of years ago when I watched the movie, starring Jim Carey, on TV...I immediately ran out and bought both that, and the book... because all great movies had to come from a book, right?
I don't like to copy and paste here, but...
John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany is the inspiring modern classic that introduced two of the author’s most unforgettable characters, boys bonded forever in childhood: the stunted Owen Meany, whose life is touched by God, and the orphaned Johnny Wheelwright, whose life is touched by Owen. From the accident that links them to the mystery that follows them–and the martyrdom that parts them–the events of their lives form a tapestry of fate and faith in a novel that is Irving at his irresistible best.
There you have it...
Well, as I was sick for two days...I did my giving on Wednesday...I started out by handing one to my manicurist...She was surprised and pleased! She is from Viet Nam and told me, jokingly, that she might only be able to read a half page a day...I said "go for it" it will be worth it!
Next I stopped in at Target...One lady on the way in said no thanks...Hmmm...I was a little daunted, but...I handed one to a young lady who seemed to be very pleased and told me she works at night and that this would be perfect! On the way out of Target I gave two to the guys putting the shopping carts in order..lol...as I looked back they were eagerly thumbing through them!
I must confess to having a little help from my DH, but between the two of us, over the next day we gave out all twenty of them. It is my hope that when they are done with these copies of A prayer for Owen Meany, these copies will be passed on...
So that is my experience with WBN! Will I do it again? Absolutely! And next year, I hope to be able to attend the little WBN party at the book store:) And hand the books out on the day itself! nd maybe even take a few pictures...sigh...
So the only thing I have left to remind me of WBN now, are the empty box on the front seat of my car and the pin and certificate..


Pretty cool, huh!