Lavender Sachets

Hi everyone. I have been doing a bit of sewing. Nothing complicated. I stitched up some lavender sachets last night. It was very easy to do. They smell wonderful. They are nice to stick in your drawers. Your dresser drawers that is. Especially with your pj’s.



I have been wanting to try printing on fabric with my printer. So I ironed some freezer paper onto some white cotton fabric in the in the size of a sheet of printer paper. I found a botanical image online and printed it out on paper to see how I liked it. I figured I could get 2 prints on one sheet. Only the first time I printed it on the fabric I forgot to rotate the image and I got 2 smaller images.



So I printed it out again for the larger image and then worked with both. For the smaller image I frayed the edge and found this iron on stuff in my stash. I had no idea if it would work because it was pretty darn old. But it did! I first ironed it on to the printed fabric, peeled off the backing paper and then ironed it onto the blue ticking.  I used the solid white fabric for the back.



I pinned the front and back together inside out. The larger image got the blue ticking for the back.

  
Stitched around all 4 sides but left about a 2” opening on the bottom. Trim off the 4 corners but don’t cut your stitches.  Turn them right side out. I used a wooden skewer to push out the corners.



I made a cone out of some junk mail so I could insert the lavender buds into the little bags.



Then I hand stitched the little opening closed. That’s it!



They came out pretty darn cute.



You have to decide on whether you want to use your printer with fabric. I didn’t have any problems. I used my rotary cutter to get a cleaner edge to minimize the frayed edges. I think I’ll be doing it again. I like the way the images comes out.



Have you printed on fabric before? The freezer paper made it really easy. I used freezer paper for another project too. I will show you that soon.

Linking up with:

Freckled Laundry Air Your Laundry Friday
French Country Cottage Feathed Nest Friday
Funky Junk Interiors SNS 

see ya,

Playing in Photoshop

I have been playing with textures again. Kim Klassen has some wonderful textures and she is having Texture Tuesday. So there will be lots of textures to see if you’d like to get an idea on what can be done with them. You can go as heavy or as light with the textures. Layer them up or use them alone. It’s all in the blending. I went a little on the light side with these. I even removed some of the texture that I didn’t want on the flower and the berries.

I used two textures on the Alstroemaria

Golden using soft light @ 51% and Sweet-tart, soft light @ 100%

The fresh berries also has two textures

Mad Love, soft light 63% and Mustard Seed, soft light 100%

 

This lily is a part of a bouquet that hubby so sweetly brought me. The lily opened up this morning so I had to grab a shot of it. Here it is straight out of the camera. Just cropped. It was cloudy so there wasn't a lot of light.

 

I added a levels adjustment and then a slight bit of brightness 

    

Then I took a solid color fill in white and set it to soft light and bumped it down to 40%. It softens the colors just a bit. 

 

Here they are side by side. It has a little more pop to it now. 

 

and just by adding Sweet-tart, multiply blending mode @ 47%. I removed the texture from the lily using a layer mask.

I could seriously spend hours playing around with photos. Not only taking a gazillion shots to get the one or two I am happy with but then to play around with them in Photoshop to see what I can do with them. 

But I must stop and get something else done today. I have to get back to painting those darn lamps that are kicking my butt. Then I need to work on the shades. I’m thinking ruffles. You all have me wanting some ruffles. And I don’t mean the ones with ridges. I’m more of a cape cod chip person anyway.

They are the best.

see ya,

Spray Paint to the Rescue

We’ve had quite a few windy days lately so spray painting has been a challenge. I bought some spray paint for a pair of lamps for my bedroom but it wasn’t quite right. So, I used it on this outside bench. It’s almost the color of our pool. Well, when it’s clean.


It’s a shade by Rustoleum which has slipped my mind right now. If you want to know the name, just let me know, I’ll find it.



I started out with some tired pieces that were starting to rust. I took a wire brush and scrubbed off as much of the rust as I could and then wiped them down. No primer, just went right to the paint on these. Since they are outside I wasn’t getting real fussy with them.
  

I brightened up this little table just by using some white to match the grout lines.
 

This old chair got sprayed last year. It’s a pretty comfy chair. I need to make some new cushion covers with all that fabric I still have. Can you see that wire shelf behind the chair? It might be my next victim. I just bought a can of yellow that needs to be used.
 

I took that same shade on the arms of the chair and sprayed this oval planter. I love the curvy legs on it. I used Krylon’s Peekaboo Blue.



These lantanas are actually going in one of my new flower beds. I still need to get some new annuals for all my stands and planters.



I will take more pictures of the whole area when it’s all cleaned up. Waiting on the pollen to finish up before we power wash the decking and screen.

I’m still working on those lamps for the bedroom. Here’s my starting point. I’m giving Spa Blue a try. I’m not crazy with the way the paint was coming out of the can. I’ll let you know how it turns out. The gloss paint is almost leaving a texture. Anyone know why?

So, have you been doing any painting lately?

Linking up with:

Debbie’s Color Party

see ya,

In the Garden

We are still working on the yard around here. The dogwoods are looking beautiful and the azaleas are beginning to bloom. I just want to keep the color going because I know these spring bloomers won’t last long. Well, some of the azaleas do repeat bloom around here. They are mostly out front so I only see them when I’m coming or going.

The perfect shade of creamy white.

 

It was not easy to get a shot of this fat little guy buzzing around me.

   

I am still dreaming of drifts of flowers along the back fence. Flowers to cut and bring inside. Flowers to brighten the yard. Flowers like these.

I’ll take the white picket fence too 

No idea who’s yard this is, found it on pinterest. I just love arbors.

These next few shots I found at a site called Secret Garden Landscaping. Is this not the happiest looking garden you ever saw? That roof looks like it's planted.

source

source   

source

 

I love those yellow chairs. Looks like I need to get out more of that yellow paint. Something is going yellow real soon.

We have never lived in a house long enough to get that established garden look. That doesn’t happen over night. I try to find fast growers and long lasting color. I prefer perennials but annuals give you color faster. So I’ll use both. Fill in with some large rocks and some worn rustic pieces, maybe add some large pots too for different heights. I can’t wait to get some color going in the back yard! Who's up for some dirt digging? This is going to be a big job.

Linking up with:

Fishtail Cottage Flora Thursdays

see ya,

1000 Cranes for Japan

When I saw all of the muses from Mortal Muses making beautiful cranes I knew I wanted to make one too. Damiec is a contributor to flickr and she started a group in hopes of gathering 1000 cranes for Japan. You can visit Damiec's flickr group and see all the beautiful cranes that people have made for Japan.  She explains it a little more too. The people in Japan have gone through such tragedy and heart break. We all want to do something. Perhaps you'd like to add to the group as well.  So many people from all over the world joining together to show their support for Japan. I love this idea so I thought I'd join along.

In Japan, the tradition of folding 1,000 cranes is done when someone has a wish, be it for peace, health or luck.

my coastal crane

my first time doing a mouseover. hold your mouse over the picture to see my before shot.

textures by Kim Klassen

 mosaic by 7 of the muses of Mortal Muses
and Damiec

Aren't they all beautiful? Makes me want to get some pretty paper and make more.

see ya,

Family Room Curtains

I finally, FINALLY, finished the panels for the family room. I still need a few more curtain rings so the panels on the smaller windows will hang better. But other then that I am calling this one completed. Finito. Done.



The large front window took two full drop cloths. I think I used 6x9. It’s been awhile since I bought them so I can’t be for sure. Well, I could if I measured them but lets just say their 6x9.




On either side of the fireplace I have 2 smaller windows. I took one drop cloth and cut it down the middle to make 2 panels for each one. So I used 4 drop cloths total. I was going to cut them and just leave the raw edge and sort of try to hide it but it frays a lot so I just did a quick seam.



First I ironed the edge to make the sewing faster. Isn’t my new ironing board cover cute? I found it at TJ Maxx. I don’t even iron much but when I do it will much more pleasant now. I love the fabric.



You can see here where I need more rings. I hope Lowes has some left. It would be my luck they don’t carry them anymore.

The ribbon I found on clearance at Michaels. It from Martha Stewart’s line. One thing I noticed was there was a lot of ribbon on the spool so it might cost more but you get more. I think it was on clearance for less then $2 a spool. I used the iron on tape for the ribbon.

 
My yard is starting to bloom and this is what I’m seeing out my front window. I will get better shots outside tomorrow.



Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. It’s been gorgeous here. I hope it continues since it’s spring break for my kids this coming week.

Linking up with:

Freckled Laundry Air Your Laundry

see ya,