I Love A Challenge!

The Titusville chapter of the American Sewing Guild has issued us a challenge to use as many upholstery samples as we can in a project or two of our choice. This is the pile I started with:

I began stripping pieces together, not sure where it was going. One month and countless hours later,  it has morphed into something GIGANTIC that I will post when it is done....which will be soon because the deadline is this Saturday!

Me and my Bright Ideas..... *palm of hand to forehead*

Great Gift Idea....Sewing Classes!

The Perfect Purse

At our monthly American Sewing Guild meeting yesterday, we were treated to a workshop by member Mary Ann Sheppard, an excellent teacher and a busy, creative lady! With her expert guidance, several of us made her signature “Star Purse” and I truly enjoyed learning new techniques and practicing some old ones.

My purse is embellished with a piece of complex cloth that I had made several years ago. I added an antique button just for fun.

I love this purse: inside and out, there are lots of pockets, and I had enough fabric left over to whip up an insert that keeps my phone, mints, cards and more organized and easy to reach. I think I finally found the perfect purse…thanks, Mary Ann!

Learn to Sew!

Just in time for International Sewing Month, Hancock Fabrics on Merritt Island is holding classes for beginners and beyond. I'm teaching Beginning Sewing for adults and teens, Mary McCarthy will teach Serging, and Savvy Sewers will teach Quilting workshops. SEW much fun!!! See the store or the flyer below for details.

Hello Dollies!

There are more than 100 dolls in the exhibit that Patty and I set up today. These art dolls are being shown at Art & Antique Studio & Gallery in the Eau Gallie Arts District for the month of September. Come and see the creative works by the members of our Space Coast Doll Artists! (sorry the photos are blurry, I’ll take better ones soon!)

Art Doll Exhibit coming!

This is Blue Fairy, one of my art dolls that will be on display with many other beautiful soft-sculptured art dolls created by the Space Coast Doll Artists. The show will be featured during the First Friday event at the Art & Antique Studio & Gallery in the Eau Gallie Arts District on September 7, 2012 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. The dolls will be exhibited throughout the month of September.

I'm thrilled to be a part of this!!!

Project Runway here I come!

My entry made the Top Ten in the BurdaStyle Summer Sewing Challenge! (see photo in previous post)

Even if I don't win a prize (but I could if I get enough votes at http://www.burdastyle.com/gallery/339?page=4#) I still have won bragging rights!

Subtropical Sundress

Entering another BurdaStyle challenge with this rayon maxi-dress. And it WAS a challenge!!!

I'm published!

Soft Dolls & Animals magazine gave me top billing!

I'm thrilled to have been included :)

Sew Cute!

These are two of my young sewing students showing off the projects they are making in our summer workshops.

Pillows and aprons, and today we finished the tote bags.

Pretty good for beginners, huh? They're having fun, and so am I! Next week we are using a real pattern to make pajama pants!

Selected Shorts...

Found this funky retro fabric on sale at Hancock Fabrics, and bought it not knowing what it would become.
My young adult daughter spied it and said, “Mom! You have to make me some high-waisted shorts from this!”



….and so I did!!!

Sew Much Fun!

Here's one of my young students working on a project at my "Learn to Sew" workshop at Hancock Fabrics. I love seeing the kids get SEW excited about sewing!

Surf's up.....dude!

Meet my latest art doll: Surf Dude!



He is on exhibit at Art & Antiques Studio & Gallery in the Eau Gallie Arts District.

Come see him tomorrow at First Friday!!!

School's out and.....

“Mom, I’m bored!”

“Already?! Summer vacation just started 10 minutes ago!!”

Have you heard these words in your family already? Well here’s an idea to combat that boredom: why not learn how to sew this summer? Once you master this useful craft, you will find all kinds of things to do to: make pillows for your room, sew tote bags, design a doll wardrobe…or create fashions of your own! I’ll be teaching classes for Kids and Teens at Hancock Fabrics on Merritt Island in June and July…see the flyer below, and I hope to see you this summer!

  

Sea Beanies!

I taught my Space Coast Doll Artists club members how to make Sea Beanies today. Look at the wonderful results! They used my pattern and gave me terrific feedback on a couple of things. My pattern will be published very soon!

Funny Faces

Little molded polymer clay faces all ready for my Sea Beanies workshop tomorrow at the Space Coast Doll Artists meeting, where I will introduce the first draft of my Sea Beanies pattern. The little dolls will look something like this when finished:

 

Flowers and Butterflies

 

I made this summer sundress from pretty butterfly fabric I found on sale at Hancock Fabrics. The buttons are little sunflowers. It fits me, but it feels a bit juvenile for me at my age. I think I need to get over that…what do you think?

Personal expression

"Emergence, the empowered goddess" is one of my art dolls and will be on display at Art & Antiques Studio & Gallery during their “Portrait of a Woman” exhibit May 4 through 30. Come and see!

Tropical Cutie

Repurposed clothing….gotta love it!!!

 I found a flowery print rayon shirt-dress (shown below) in the Bargain Bin (99 cents a pound) at the Goodwill Thrift Store, so it literally cost me less than 99 cents! I took it apart and reconstructed it (above) into this cute 1940’s style dress (or a summery top, for the modest woman!). The green halter straps were made from a silk blouse also found in the Bargain Bin (I’m estimating about 25 cents for this fabric) and the buttons on the back closure were repurposed from the shirt-dress.

I love the Goodwill Thrift Store! I have found the most amazing fabrics there. It’s so much fun to discover sumptuous silks and buttery velvets, beautiful buttons and metallic trims, all at prices I can afford! After taking the garments apart, there usually is not enough yardage for making anything major, but piecing parts together is much of the fun! 

For more photos, see my Craftsy page at  http://www.craftsy.com/user/206787/projects, or my Burda page at http://www.burdastyle.com/profiles/bright-ideas-studio/my_studio

Tots and Peas

Okay, so it’s not fiber art, dolls or sewing, but this first layer of my famous Tater Tot Casserole was just SO ARTSY! Look at those shapes and textures and patterns…I just had to photograph it and share it!

Just so you don’t think I’m totally crazy, here’s the recipe, followed by a photo of the finished casserole on its way to the oven. Try it…you’ll love it!

Bake a bag of Tater Tots or similar potato things.

WHILE THEY ARE BAKING:

 Sauté a chopped onion in some oil.

Add a bag of Boca Burger Crumbles .

Heat and stir until the protein is cooked; set aside.

THEN, layer into a rectangular baking dish:

About half the Tots;

Sprinkle in some cooked peas (as in photo);

Cover it with all the Boca mixture;

Layer on top of that about 6 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese (or cover with cheese slices);

Spread on that a can of cream style corn;

Sprinkle some more cooked peas;

Then top it off with a final layer of the rest of the Tots (see final photo).

Bake at 350 degrees for about ½ hour.

Enjoy! And take pictures if you feel inspired!!

Dryer Lint Two - Now You Can Do It!

One of my colleagues saw my little lint purse and said "You should make a pattern for this."  So I did! I'm just about to publish my first pattern, in PDF and printed format, in which I detail the step-by-step process of turning dryer lint and other fiber scraps) into beautiful fabric and a cute clutch purse. It's coming....watch for it!

Dryer lint fabric....turned it into a purse!

Couldn't let that cute fabric sit idly by, so I made a purse out of it! In addition to putting this up on Etsy, Craftsy and Burda Style, I took it to my meeting of the American Sewing Guild today...the ladies loved it, and encouraged me to make a pattern for it....and I will!

Sew Much Sewing To Do...

I got a lot done this week! Finished this tunic for a sample for my Adult Sewing Class that begins on Tuesday:

and I also made this skirt and vest for a sample for my Kids Sewing Class that begins next week:

and I also made this snappy little purse for my Aunt Carole: