Made it: Paint Drip Bangle

I have said this before.  I will say it again.  I love paint drips.  Don't know why.  

  

I was brainstorming ideas for my Mom's Christmas gift.  I knew I wanted to make her a set of bangles.  For months I have had this idea in my head.  Paint drips on a bangle.  It is one of those ideas that plants itself in your brain and grows roots.  I kept brainstorming because I thought there is no way my mom will wear it.  After brainstorming some perfectly good ideas that I was just not interested in trying I remembered some advice I once got about buying flowers for people....buy them what you would want to receive.  I can't remember why or when or from who I got this advice but it has made flower buying more meaningful and fun.

I make jewelry.  Everyone that I love knows that I make jewelry.  Isn't it more special to give them something that is "me" rather than making something I think they will like?  It's giving them a part of me rather than just giving them something I can make.

So those are the two I came up with.  The paint drips are rebellious and somewhat organic while the thin bangle is more militaristic and organized.  I didn't strive for those qualities to be represented but it is funny to me that they are what came out because they represent my mom.  My mom has a rebellious streak in her that you can see in her fashion or decor...standing up for what she thinks is right.  At the same time she is a hard ass mother.  I am pretty sure I stayed out of trouble growing up because my Mom scared the crap out of me..in a loving way.  Love you, Mom!

Made it: Camera Strap

It was my last made gift for Christmas.  Maybe it was because I was burned out.  Maybe it was because I wasn't working from any tutorial.  Whatever it was, this gift did not get made until Christmas Eve.

My brother is a hobby photographer.  For a hobby his photos have a distinct point of view.  I think he should take his hobby up a notch.  I'm just saying. (You can check his photos out here.)  I digress.  I thought having a fun camera strap would be a good gift...but just incase I got him bacon flavored popcorn too.

I used Kaffe Fassett Blue Herringbone fabric on the front and faux leather for the back and straps.  I googled a bunch of camera straps and from those images decided what would work for my materials.  Not having a tutorial gave me a greater sense of accomplishment but it also sapped me of energy so that I could not relish in it.  Trial. And. Error.

Sean modeling the camera strap.

Just a note and a blooper from the "photo shoot".  I wanted to do  a leopard print...it would be funny and weird but he could totally pull it off.  I wasn't confident enough that he would use it so I stuck with the fabric you see.  Oviously.  When he got it he said, "You should have done it in leopard."  WHAT?  Crap.  I guess I know him better than I thought.

Made it: Rag Doll

Finding gifts for an infant that is not your first born is tough!  Nothing is gender specific at 5 months.  Everything W needs for chewing and playing is already around from the B.  Poor girl never gets anything new except clothes.  I can't make a plastic toy for her to chew on.  I don't want to make infant clothes.  What should the made part of her gifts beeeee?

She might be a little young for a doll but everyone needs a rag doll.  I think it is pretty special to have a made doll from your mom.  Right??

It's far from perfect...but it's a rag doll so that's cool.

I used this pattern as a starting point.  I edited it a bit but it's close to the original.  I decided on felt hair after doing some research about rag doll hair.  The hair is dark brown even though it looks black here.  As for the face...it was the least creepy version of a rag doll face I could come up with.  There are some CREEEEPPPYYYY doll faces out there. C.R.E.E.P.Y.  Google it.  Anyway.  The whole face is stitched on with DMC Floss.

Nice.

The most trying part of this project was the felt hair.  I did it without a tutorial so it took me three tries to get it right...In the end it wasn't that complicated.  I traced the shape of the head (flattened) and then drew the hair around it.  I sewed the hair pieces together (right sides together), turned it right side out and glued it to the head of the doll.  I finished it off by stitching it around the perimeter of the hair.  It turned out way better than I expected based on my poor first few attempts.  Also, I wish I had stitched the face before I sewed the doll together.  Other than that, it was pretty straightforward.

Advent Conspiracy.  Check it out.

Made it: Colorful necklace

I have wanted to make this necklace for a long time.  It took me forever to decide how I wanted to go about making it.  Then I got the materials.  Then they sat forever. Then I strung it.  Then I decided I wanted to go about it differently...so it sat for a while.  Then I restrung it.  Then...I finally finished it. 

I realllly like this necklace.  Lots of color.  I think I will be keeping this necklace rather than gifting it or selling it.  

Sean's comment about it was, "That's different than what you usually make." Thanks.  Sure is.  It's symmetrical...is what he meant...I think.

Because I find inspiration interesting...here is what inspired this necklace.

PAINT dipped.  If I could figure out how to do a paint dipped chain necklace.  I would.  So cool. 

via

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Made it: Toddler Tool Belt

Brady, don't read this post! 

Ha.  Brady is a toddler.  This is one of his Christmas presents.  I saw the tutorial here and knew I had to make it for him.  He loves having a place to put everything.  That is kind of the theme of his presents so far.  

The best part of this present??  It cost me ZERO dollars.  It is made from things I already have.  

The green striped cloth is one of the dish clothes from the pack I bought to make this bolster pillow.  The ivory flannel was from this window treatment for B's room.  The blue binding was left over from when I did this to my duvet cover.  

Feels good to spend zero.  I always see those posts on other blogs.  I have finally been sewing long enough to have left overs!  

Here is the tutorial I used.  

Again, thanks to Walt for taking pictures.  See his real photography here. 

Made it: Ruffle Knit Scarf

This is the tutorial picture.

So.  This one might be your Christmas present.  I am sorry.  It's going to be on another blog so I need to get a post up about it.

I found a tutorial for the scarf here.  It wasn't a straight forward tutorial.  This scarf is a combination of techniques from three different tutorials on her blog.  It's more of a hassle than anything else.  Totally worth it, though.  I didn't follow the directions exactly but it looks pretty much the same.

It is navy blue knit with gold seed beads.  I sewed the flowers and beads on by hand.  

I have been scared of knit for quite some time.  This was my first project using it and it went surprisingly well.  I think that is because you have to use the stretch while you sew...rather than preserve it.  But, like I said, this was my first project so I could be wrong.