Muslin gift bag tutorial

I was putting together some gift bags today & thought I'd try to make a tutorial for you. I warn you, I am NO Amy Butler & this is a marathon post.  You might need a snack!

This is certainly not a revolutionary idea, it is just my take on it. Hope you enjoy! 

Step 1 - Prepping muslin

Coffee stain or tea stain your muslin  however you like.  I use instant coffee crystals, whatever kind is on sale.  I like my muslin to look super old & stained. My trick is to sprinkle some crystals on top of the fabric while it's in the pot & let it just soak in.

Step 2 - Sewing the bag

Instead of cutting 2 pieces of muslin I like to fold mine from top to bottom, then fold the top edges over to make a drawstring pocket.  So figure out the size you want, double the height & add 2 1/2 inches, to the width add 1 inch for seam allowance.

Fold the piece in half top to bottom & iron. Fold top edge over 1/4 inch & iron. Stitch seam & repeat on the remaining edge. Fold each edge over 1 inch, iron & stitch seam.  These are the pockets for your drawstring.  Before sewing up the side seams you will add your image.

Step 3 - Image transfer

This is were your imagination can go wild. I like to use old pictures, especially those of women & children. Illustrations from books are great.  I love to borrow pics from The Graphics Fairy & GreenPaper.  Pick out a few images and lay them out on your printer. 

I have an ink jet printer so I use fabric sheets by June Taylor in cream.  I buy them at Micheal's or Jo-Ann Fabrics, where ever I have a 50% off coupon.  They are a little pricey, that's why I make sure I cover my whole printer with images to use for other projects.

After printing out your fabric sheet, snip and tear around each image. I think the torn edges look better than cut (your preference). Then pin onto the middle of the front side of the muslin piece. 

Stitch around all sides to secure, then continue stitching around the image 4 or 5 times. Get sloppy with it!

Step 4 - Keep on sewing!

Fold muslin right sides together and pin up to the drawstring pocket.

Stitch up sides but do not stitch over the pockets.

To make a gussett find one of the corners of the bottom of the bag and fold a triangle.  Match up the bottom seam to the side seam to form a triangle then pin and stitch straight across.  The gussett allows the bag to sit up nice. 

Turn inside out or is it right side out?? Anyway, your almost done. Just thread a piece of ribbon or seam binding through the pocket openings and Wa-La!

I love making these little bags because there is no limit to what you can do with them. I like to add stamping like I did here.

And here.

 I didn't do a drawstring on this bag, got lazy & just tied it up.

Wouldn't these be great shoe bags?  Just find some clip art of a cool shoe.  Like I said endless possibilities. 

I hope you liked it, I'd love to get your feedback.

Spending time with friends

I'm still tweaking my little studio , I saved space on this wall for a special piece of art from a dear friend.  Can you see it?

Dawn's wonderful collage. I love the message it contains. When I re-did my art space, I wanted room to have my friends over. Not just my local friends , but my blogland friends too. 

It started here.  Dorthe's amazing angel who watches over me & inspires me every time I look into her sweet eyes.

And if I forget where she lives....I look at her lovely tag.

You guys are all so talented in so many ways, whether cooking, sewing, making a beautiful home, growing things, taking gorgeous pictures & making the most extraordinary art. I love the thought of having little bit of you here in my workspace urging me on when my creative reserve runs dry. 

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Look what I found at GreenPaper, last month. A CD containing images from an old Tennyson calendar.  Each month is lovelier than the last, just darling little birds & flowers.  I couldn't wait to make something with it.

I printed my favorites, added a couple of old wallpaper scraps & turned a plain Ikea organizer into a thing of beauty.

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Speaking of Mary, have you heard about her latest giveaway??

Check out this scrumptious pile of craft love, imagine having all of this to create with!

 She is part of Lisa's  One World One Heart Giveaway, which you can read about on here.

It's a very cool way to connect with artists all over the world & win some pretty sweet stuff.

I saw that my dear talented friend Dorthe of Den Lille Lade is also participating.

Here's another chance to win one of her magical dolls!

If that doesn't convince you to check it out, looky here..

Julia at Vintage with Laces is playing too. I am crazy about her adorable Victorian collage.

I don't think it's too late to get onboard if you want to play.  When I checked last there were 763 participant's.  With those numbers surley I'll win something!

Nature

A perfect nest. Straw, bits of string, plastic & a feather or two. A vintage aquarium to show it off.  The ultimate assemblage.

I've been spending a lot of time outdoors with the kids lately, enjoying these 50 degree days. Going to the park, looking for 'nature' as my son calls it.  I was inspired to build this little shrine.

The kids planted their first garden last summer, this sunflower is evidence of their green thumbs.

A prayer of thanks tucked among the seeds.

NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

-Robert Frost

A collage

While listening to the celebrity fundraiser for Haiti on TV, I became a little obsessed with photographing symbols of love.  I have a hard time putting my feelings into words, I am not an eloquent writer.  I leave that task to others. But I was moved seeing so many working together, doing what they could to help another.

Have a safe happy weekend.

 

Family History

I have been working on a new series of bottles.  It's about self discovery through the stories of my fore-mothers.

The little girl in the picture is my Great Grandmother Alma. She was a real life prairie girl. Her sister died of appendicitis at the age of 12. A year after this picutre was taken her Father took her Mothers' life and then his own. Her Father made this desperate decision after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, you see his wife was blind. Without him there was no chance of her surviving a hard life on the prairie with 2 children. After this tragedy my Great Grandmother was sent to care for the children of wealthy relatives.

Can you see this story in her eyes?

The quote on the bottles reads, 'in search of my Mother's garden, I found my own'.

Epilogue: While working as a nanny Alma met and fell in love with the most eligible bachelor in town. They were married, had 3 beautiful girls & lived a long happy life together.

French Love on a White Wednesday

I have been a real White Wednesday slacker the past few weeks. It may have been the holidays, or possibly I ran out of white items to show you. So I took a break and today a flash of inspiration met me at the mailbox. I got the new issue of Maire Claire Idees! So today I am taking you to France.  Kathleen has done a super job with this party, so if you like what you see here, check out Faded Charm for other participants.

This is the prettiest chair I've ever seen.

All of this burlap & linen, ahhhh.

What an amazing piece, would LOVE that in my craft room or anywhere!

I'm crazy about this patchwork on linen, reminds me of Rebecca Sower's work.

Hope you liked it!

(photos borrowed from Marie Claire Idees & Maison Creative)

Thanks to my friend Shellagh from Ticking & Toile for presenting me with the Sunshine award.  I am a huge fan of her blog, if you want insane I-candy check her out! I don't know how she does it, but Shellagh's posts just make me feel cozy & warm.

The sunshine award is given to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world.

(I am flattered that Shellagh thinks this about me, I try to make my blog upbeat & fun)

Here are the rules for accepting the award:

Put the logo in your post or on your blog.

Pass the award onto 12 bloggers & link the nominees within your post.

Let the nominees know by commenting on their blog.

Share the love & link to the person from whom you received this award.

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Ok, this gives me a chance to put a shout out to some great ladies that are always very inspiring & positive, but it makes me feel a little funny because there are way more than 12 bloggers that I feel deserve this.

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Bella Rosa

My Hearts Ease

Sweet Finds

ZanyMayd

Laughing with Angels

Then and Now

Storybook Woods

A Cottage in the Woods

Den Lille Lade

Sissie's Shabby Cottage

Miss Gracies House

Cherry's Jubilee

If I nominated you & your blog is award free, just know that I think your great!

One last thing.....

Is this not the coolest, most beautiful pillow ever??? Well Sissie is giving it away, just hop over to Sissie's Shabby Cottage to see how.

Hearts for Haiti & some more reveal!

I had some fun today creating in my nice, clean studio.  I made a couple of Valentine treats for my etsy shop.

I am following the lead of Cheryl Zany Mayd & others by donating a % of my sales until February 14 to the Red Cross for relief to Haiti.

These little hanging hearts measure 10x7". They are made with red & white ticking, wool felt, and embellished with vintage lace, quilting, buttons & cards. I really put a lot of work into making them very special & unique.

I'm working on more stuff everyday, hopefully getting my little shop stocked for Valentines Day.

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Now back to the 'big' reveal!

One of my Ikea purcheses, this rolling table has big wide drawers that hold scrapbook paper, sheet music & lots more.

The woven bag is one I made to honor my Mother, I used her image & bible. My Mother was the great at everything, painting, sewing, cooking.  My creative juice comes from her.

Storage, tools & collections.

Albums used for altered art.

You may have noticed, I have a thing for boxes. Especially satin ones.  The old stationary box holds the love letters I posted about here

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I am crazy about the little ' lambie pie' case on this shelf, it holds gobs vintage Dresden die cuts.  I just adore anything with images of children circa 1940/50.  When I was a child I discovered Joan Walsh Anglund & fell in love with her sweet message & the wonderful illustrations in her books.  Since that time I started collecting all kinds of images.

Until next time....have a great day!