Rose Necklace, or what to do when you have a cold.

Not a whole lot of embroidery going on right now in the Fresh Thread Studio, I have fallen to the cold that my youngest children brought home from a winter camp weekend. Can't seem to concentrate long enough to do much good but it does give me a nice excuse to curl in a chair and do a little hand work.

This ribbon rose necklace is right on track fashion wise and I am glad to say that it did not cost near the $150 that I saw one just about like it going for in a local boutique!

For as much as I love embroidery I really like working with my hands so this was a very soothing project to work on as I wallow in the misery of a cold.

 

Want some inspiration of your own??

 

This one is over the top!

 

Look how to do it here!

 

Have fun!.. and please pass me a tissue!

Boo-Boo Monsters are here!

Well it took a while to catch him but now that he is here I could not be more pleased! 

 As a mother there is nothing worse than to see your child in pain but as we all know childhood is a time of bumps and bruises not to mention the occasional earache. 

 But now the Boo-Boo Monster is here to help!

This little fellow is the perfect diguise for a very practical inner pod that you fill with dry rice or flax seed. You then keep a couple in the freezer for bumps and bruises and a couple at the ready to pop into the microwave to use to ease the painful pressue of a childhood earache.   When in need just pop the innder pod into the opening in the back of the Boo-Boo Monster and you are ready to help your little person feel better in no time!

Different fabric choices make such a differnce with this project.  Above I have used a curly faux fur and below I have used wool felt and polor fleece.

As always I have included full instructions and hang tag files for those who would like to sell these at craft shows. Any washable fabric is suitable for the monster face but the inner pod and back cover should be made from prewashed 100% cotton fabric. Diaper flannel is perfect!

Boo- Boo Monsters will be on speical this week for $5

Click here to get yours!


Please note!  Microwaves vary in power, start with 30 seconds and  then check the pod, do not over heat or the rice/flax will burn!

Shop till you drop!

I will admit it .. I am a total rookey when it comes to shopping... no power shopper am I but things had gotten pretty desperate on the wardrobe front around here so today I headed out to get some new clothes.. but of course as I shopped I had to take notice of Spring Embroidery that I saw. 

 Today took me to, J Jill, Coldwater Creek and SteinMart.  It might be early in the season but for these stores there was not a ton of embroidery to be seen, but what there was ...  was very nice.  I saw a wonderful jacket at CWC that was natural linen with a tone on tone design.. it was great but not a shade that looks good on me... it had a very classic but slouchy " Out of Africa" feel to it..nice.

No embroidery  in JJill... but I did find a great dress so does that count???

In Stein Mart there was more to be had.. and it was graphic.. no. not GRAPHIC ( as in ..sheild your eye's Martha!).. it was circles, and interlocking squares.. some squiggles and some nice flourish like details in a heavy satin stitch that were very eye catching.  Lots of embroidery on linen and some nice detail on  jeans and jean jackets.  

As for what I came home with.. 3 dresses, two pairs of spring capri length Kakis, various shirts, 3 jackets , uhhhhhhh "some" shoes, a few scarves and aching feet from shopping for 5 hours!  Oddly enough none of my items had embroidery on them but two of the jackets are just crying out for something.. so I guess I had better get into the studio and see what I can come up with! :)

What are you embroidering for your Spring wardrobe???

UFM sighting!

This is the only known photo of this strange and mysterious creature that was recently spotted in the Fresh Thread studio.. It is said that he has magical healing powers and is helpful in many emergencies.  We promise to keep you informed with up to the minute coverage of  when he is next sighted.

It's Friday.. time to pick a winner!

We have a

WINNER

The random number generator  gave me #1 as our winner.. so Linda Palmer you are the lucky lady who will be getting a limited edition LUCKY pin making kit. Filled with buttons, pin backs and a full copy of the design files the LUCKY kit is just perfect for those who want to be Irish for the day!

Gifty Thoughts

 Time is growing short till Valentie's Day but this time of the month money might also be growing a bit thin so thinking about fun, budget friendly  gifts can be a bit difficult!   How about a gift that will only cost you two sheets of card stock, and bit of ink and maybe a candy bar to go with it??

Free to download 

 ~ I Love You This Much Coupon Book ~

Filled with seven interchangable coupons just perfect for showing your love for free or for just a couple of bucks ( depending on which coupons you choose for your book!)

Two PDF files contain all the coupons you need including:

1 coupon for a video rental

1 $15 Itunes card

1 coupon for the front seat in the car for a week ( very popular with the pre- teens!)

1 coupon for getting out of doing the dishes for one night

1 ice cream cone

1 not cleaning up bedroom when mom asks coupon

1 staying up as late as you want on a non-school night

Use just the ones you want or use them all, print extras for some and omit others, it's up to you!

 After you print them out and cut them up  you can even perferate them with with this handy little tool that just might be in your sewing stuff!   Then stack them up.. staple them together and wrap them with a ribbon around a big old candy bar!

Download page 1 here

Download page 2 here 

I hope you enjoy this!

A Lucky Little Giveaway!

Thanks to eveyone that playes.. we have picked a winner!

So..  want to win a little bit of Irish love?...  What I have for you is a LUCKY little kit .. it contains a cd with all versions of the LUCKY design and  printable instructions and backer cards. Plus enough cute little green vintage buttons and metal pin backs to make 2 very cute little LUCKY pins - you supply the felt!

To enter click on the word COMMENTS at the botton of this post and leave your name and contact e-mail. I will draw for the winner on Friday!

* For those who just can't wait.. the design, instructions and printble gift cards are for sale in my storefront for a wee-little $3
CLICK HERE

The Pleasures of Packaging

I love to package items... it's possibly some sort of little known illness that makes me start thinking of how to wrap a gift before I even make the gift! My go to supplier for wonderful containers and bags is of course the wonder-folks at GARNISH

That is where I got these ADRORABLE little wax bags.  I have been using my stash of these since last year when I bought them for another project and the last few are being pressed into service as favors that I am  giving out at the sewing class I am teaching this coming Friday.

In the bag are these totaly cute but also very useful little tape measures that I sell for use with the Tiny Tapemeasure Designs  but this time I have taken them and printed out stickers with the sewing group logo on them!

This idea makes a super little party favor or gifty for a sewing friend. 

 If you would like to do something similar here is how.

Locate  some cute little tape measures ( mine is 2 inches) and then head to the craft store to find the perfect theme  sticker that wil fit on the flat side of the plastic casing ( or make custom ones like I did if you know your way around photoshop!).   Apply the sticker and then get ready to package. 

  As I said I used these great little wax bags from GARNISH and I encourage you to check those out... very reasonable prices and great service! ( mine are the medium sized bags)   Put your tapemeasure in the bag and then fold down the top and  then zigzag on a piece of cute ribbon that will go with the colors...it's that simple. 

Cute, creative and easy..what more could you want?


P.s. Thanks for all the ~love~ sent my way in response to the medical stuff.. still getting that all sorted out but feeling all those warm fuzzies sure has been great!

Time to dig out your green buttons!

It might be the only time this year.. but for this very moment I am ahead of the game and already getting ready for next month with this cute little St.Patrick's Day pin! 

While not exactly the biggest holiday on the planet it is fun to be Irish for the day and to share the fun with others and this pin is the perfect inexpensive way to do that.

Click here to see more photos

 With easy to follow full color instructions and three different choices of display tag cards this project will go together in no time flat. This is a super fun way to use little green buttons from your stash!

The files come in three arrangements. A single shamrock in the 4x4, twice the fun with double shamrocks in the 4x4 and 4 shamrocks in the 5x7 frame. All files are simple DST files since this is a one color no thread change design! Easy to print pdf files include the full color instructions and tags that say " I feel LUCKY to know you", "I feel LUCKY that you are my teacher" and the classic Happy St. Patrick's Day!

All for just $3 - you can't even get a green beer  greeting card for that little money! :-)

Thank you to everyone who came by for last week's  free shamrock, Keep your eyes open for another holiday inspired design very soon!  And do remember that Progressive Thread members have access to freebie files all the time!  ( scan down the right hand bar for the link to the group!)

Moving Right along......

Hello!... I feel like it's been ages since we chatted! Alas that whole being sick/having kidney stones things got a tad more complicated than I would have liked but for now things are ok and I am trying to get back to life as usual.

Of course you know what that means don't you?... yes.. fabric! Well in this case it's actually felt but I think that counts. Felt you say?.. Yes felt. Some of the most wonderful, beautiful stuff you would ever want to see. Now this is not that stuff you find at the craft store ( although it has it's place for some projects).. this is the wonderful felt from Wool Felt Central .

The best buy there is the Wool Felt sampler pack, 78 colors folks... yes.. and all of them a feast for the eyes. They come delivered in a pretty plastic cube that looks like it's been stuffed full of a very fuzzy very wonderful rainbow.

I am using this felt for all sorts of new ideas and best yet I am using the 6x6 sampler size so it' means when I have tons of color options! So if you want to have fun with some of the great new freebies and designs I have coming up in the next few months pop right over to Wool Felt Central, and say hi to Julie when you order yourself one of the wonderful sampler packs!

Check back in the next day or so to see the next holiday freebie that will be using some of this wonderful felt. And in the mean time check out this little felt project that you might just need in a couple days!