Mother's Day Prize Ribbon - DIY

Here is a quick gift for mom to wear to her Mother's Day Celebration...out of a coffee filter!

By dying the natural filter in red food coloring, I was able to layer up a prize ribbon, by adding a few embellishments.

STEPS TO CREATE THE "FLOWER"

First, flatten then soak the filters in red food coloring (some more than others)

I created the "flower" portion of my ribbon my layering one flat dark pink, one lighter pink with curled edges, one natural flower created with a running stitch and decorative running stitch border.

Next layer is a yo-yo with the folds outward and finally a centre button with the folds facing inward.

Sew all the layers together when you add the button.

Once I created the flower I added a special banner for mom.  To create the hanging ribbon portion I used strips of tissue and some hot pink fringe I had hanging around(lower left)

the tissue ribbon was cut in a dove tail (lower right)

 

I used a brooch backing in cardboard to the back of the assembly but you could just as easily use a safety pin.

I basically used the model of prize ribbons I have made for my etsy shop and the one I created in a detailed tutorial for amy power's inspired ideas birthday issue.

It's a fun last minute project to add a little something special to maybe a brunch or tea and you could customize it for a birthday or bridal shower.

I'll see if the girls let me wear it this Sunday ...  I'll probably embarrass them ... as usual

Trying to stay ahead of the Curve

Has this ever happened to you.  Last Summer, I put together a couple of tutorials for inspired ideas and one of them included this scrappy flower covered lantern.  I quickly threw it together to make a tight timeline and I was really happy with the results.  

Fast forward a few weeks later and, while the girls and I were getting some camp shopping done at the mall, we passed a pottery barn kids and I stopped in my tracks.  There they were.  Paper lanterns covered in fabric flowers.  Very similar to my project and I said to the girls - everyone is going to think that I did a how-to version of those lanterns - yet I had never seen them before (or ... at least I didn't think that I had)

This spring I did a how-to stamped beach bag for the blog.  I was inspired by a fabric that I had come across from spoonflower.

Fast forward last week when I took the time to look at a PBTeen email that I had received about summer accessories.  Look what I found.  Wow - kind of similar huh?  

I have a friend that works on television and magazine projects and she told me she has to actually remove herself from the blogosphere and pinterest pages from time to time, in order to ensure she doesn't accidentally hijack an existing project.

I can say with complete honesty that I did not see these products when I worked on those projects.

It does make me think that sometimes we can be so influenced by trends or ideas without ever realizing it.  Have you ever thought of a color combination and then seen it in a magazine and thought to yourself, hey I thought of that first?  Chances are we didn't realize that we have been subtly influenced by that color in all the images we see in catalogues, magazines and pinterest.

I'm curious.  Am I the only one that has felt like this?  Do you ever think you have an original idea only to see it somewhere else.  How do you overcome the risk of an unintentional "copycat"?

Wrap it up Thursday - Knitted Jam Jar Cover

These beautiful glass jar wraps are from Leigh Radford's, One More Skein and were shared via a post on Design*Sponge.  They are covering up a mayonnaise jar, a peanut butter jar and a jam jar.  They kind of remind me of my faux knitted vase but all the better - the real thing.  And because there is glass inside they make a great flower vase.  These knits remind me of getting ready for fall but, with some bright blue cotton, I created the jar cover for my spring giveaway.

 I improvised following the beginning of her pattern for a lace jam jar.  (The third pattern on the design* sponge post) To make my cover I used a pretty, bird egg blue cotton yarn  and US #4 needles.  (Leigh's pattern calls for  #9 needles - but for my little jam jar this worked the best )  You begin by knitting in the round, starting at the bottom of your jar cover.  Once I had completed the portion that made up the circular bottom, I just continued with the stocking stitch in the round, for my body,  until my cover was tall enough to cover up the glass jam jar.  Then I just finished with a simple bind off.

There is still time to enter the draw for the wrapped up jam jar and the three spring pencils.

 If you would like to enter the contest, add a comment here.

Finally, thank you to all of you for taking the time to enter and for all your lovely comments.  It really, really means so much to me.

Giveaway - Springy Pencils

In honor of the amy power's spring 2012 inspired ideas magazine, I thought I would giveaway the spring pencil project that I did.

 The prize includes the three pencils shown - bluebird, grey and brown branches and the cream and blue nest.  I am also throwing in a light blue knit covered mason jar to keep them by your computer.

What do you need to do - you say?  Well, although not required, please spread the word about my blog and the magazine and if you are so inclined become a helana and ali follower (see the right hand bar)

Required:  Add a comment to this post letting me know your name 

(I also ask that if your email is not associated with your comment name ie google sign-in etc. that you include it in your comment, or email me, so I can let you know if you won)

Winner will be randomly selected Monday April 2nd at 6 pm. EST 


We have a winner:  AprilsArtisticAvenue - email me with your address and your prize is on it's way!

Here are a couple of the pages from my springy pencil spread.  Here, I give you all the details on how you can make your own spring desktop - but if you win - you won't need to :)

The magazine is loaded with all sorts of adorable spring projects so if you want to see more, order your own magazine here.

It's nice to know spring is just around the corner, don't you think!

Springy Desktop

The new edition of amy power's inspired ideas is out.  You can read all about it here.  And you can order up a digital copy here.  

I was lucky enough to have a project in this season's issue.  I decided to add some spring to my desktop. The old fashioned kind of desktop - pencils for my desk "top".

There you go, yarn-wrapped and topped up - add some spring to your desk top -for your journal writing, to-do lists, tax filing or just to look cute.

Stay tuned for a give-away in the next day or so.

Holiday Brooch Giveaway

Leave a comment to enter for a chance to win this corsage

The latest Amy Powers' Inspired Ideas is here.  Loaded with great holiday projects you can check out all the details on her blog.

This is the project that I did for Inspired Ideas.  I call it the Christmas Sweater reduced to a Holiday Corsage.  In the magazine I give directions for making the corsage but in order to do so I had to actually make a few :)  And I am going to part with this one!

In honor of the release of the magazine I am hosting a giveaway.  Leave me a note here on this post (one comment only), contest closes this Friday 9 a.m. EST and I will select a winner(random.org) on Friday at 12 noon EST.


EXTENDED - closes  Monday November 14 th 6 P.M.  - EST


Good Luck and I hope if you can you will check out the magazine.  There are contributions from Mary Engelbreit, Matthew Mead as well as many other gifted crafters.

UPDATE:


Kathy (comment #12 ) you won! - see post to follow.