Embroidery Hoop Weaving! Cleopatra Fan Quilt! Yarn Flower Afghan! Pet Footprint Tribute! Gardener’s Soap! Knitted Bathmat! Yarn Ball Hook Pin! Art Journal Toolbox! Steering Wheel Cover! Embroidery on Baskets! PLUS . . . Recipes, Jokes, Art, Design & Memories!

 

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If you’re liking this blog Please tell your friends about it!

I’d really appreciate it!  xoxom

 

 

Hey MICHIGAN, 5 DAY COUNT DOWN!

On Friday and Saturday, August 1 & 2

I’ll be visiting Fabric Affair in Troy, Michigan!

LESS THAN A WEEK! SIGN UP NOW!

On Friday evening I’ll be giving my wild talk (the fun one)!

All day on Saturday, I’ll be teaching my Lemon Cathedral Workshop!

Sign Up for the Workshop TODAY! 

YOKE DU YOUR 

 

Sam and Louis lived in a retirement home. One day they were sitting in the lounge, and Sam turned to Louis and said, “Louis, I’m ninety years old, and I’m full of aches and pains. You’re about my age. How do you feel?”

Louis replied, “I feel just like a newborn baby.”

“Really? Like a baby?” Sam asked, puzzled.

“Yes,” replied Louis, “I’ve got no hair, no teeth—and I think I just wet myself.”

 

ARTspiration

Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my muse! Like it or dislike it, what about this art inspires your own art or creativity?  Roberto Gil de Montes’ paintings exist in a hazy terrain somewhere between Mexico and Los Angeles, art history and folklore, a memory and a dream.

 

DESIGNspiration

Look around you. Design is everywhere! How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?

Zollverein School of Management and Design / SANAA.  Photo by Iwan Baan, gif by Axel de Stampa.

 

Theatre Agora / UNStudio. Photo by Christian Richters, gif by Axel de Stampa.

America’s Cup Building / David Chipperfield. Photo unknown, gif by Axel de Stampa.

IDEA I LOVE

The tutorial for this, or lack thereof, is pretty straightforward. String up a wooden embroidery hoop and then  weave fibers through the warping threads to create a beautiful piece of woven art. Who doesn’t need a beautiful piece of woven art? Okay, so you don’t. Use this craft as a means to escaping the world and a little meditative and creativef time. Start here:

 http://craftophilia.blogspot.com/2014/05/project-report-2-circular-weaving.html

IDEA I LOVE 

If you have ever had the urge to begin art journaling, you will need to invest in some tools (Not necessarily expensive tools – that’s up to you). This tutorial will show you how to create a toolbox for your art journal supplies, and you know how we like supplies! If you haven’t tried art journaling yet, I am urging you to do so. Whether you can draw or not is incidental. The benefits of art journaling could change your life. Start with your toolbox…

http://adventures-in-making.com/toolbox-art-journal-supply-kit/ 

 

IDEA I LOVE

Pimp your ride with a colorful steering wheel cover. During the hot weather your hands will be cool, and during the cold weather your hands will be warmer. It’s a win/win for your meat hooks. Coordinate the colors of your car or just choose fabric that makes you smile. Nah, coordinate with your car…

 http://thediypanda.tumblr.com/post/40102973227/steering-wheel-cover

Hey, cupcakes!  Believe it or not these two steering wheel covers were made by my Facebook buddy, Linda Kratz Foote, just this morning!  

 

YUM

 

OLD–FASHIONED CARNIVAL CORN DOGS

 

INGREDIENTS

• 8 all-beef, chicken, or turkey hot dogs
• 8 sturdy wooden or bamboo skewers, about 8 to 10 inches long
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 to 3 tsp Southwest Sizzler Spice Blend (recipe below), optional
• 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, lightly whisked
• Organic vegetable oil for deep-frying
• Condiments such as mustard, ketchup, or chili sauce, optional

METHOD

• Thread a hot dog onto a skewer from one end, leaving enough of each skewer exposed to make a good handle.
•  Place 3 tbsp of the flour on a large plate or in a shallow dish large enough for the skewered hot dogs.
• In another shallow dish large enough to hold the dogs, or in a deep bowl, combine the remaining flour, cornmeal, and salt, and Spice Blend if using. Mix in the milk, oil, and egg. Stir together thoroughly.
• Warm at least 3 inches of oil to 375°F in a large heavy pot. Use a candy thermometer or Thermapen to monitor the heat.
• Roll a skewered hot dog in the plain flour on the plate, and then dunk in the batter, coating it lightly but completely. An offset spatula, table knife, or spoon may be helpful in coating the dogs. Wipe off any batter that extends down the skewer and then gently lower the dog into the hot oil.
• Repeat with the remaining dogs, in batches if necessary, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Drain on a rack for about 1 minute. Serve immediately with the garnishes that you like.

Source: http://theheritagecook.com/county-fair-corn-dogs/

 

IDEA I LOVE

Adding sage to your campfire or fire pit keeps mosquitoes and bugs away.  I hear it’s also good for cleaning your chakras, chasing spirits or bad energy out of your house, or whatever .  .  .

 

SUMMER COCKTAIL I LOVE

 

LIMONCELLO GIN COCKTAIL

 

 

Serves 1

1 ounce Limoncello
1 ounce gin
4 ounces club soda
Lots of ice
Lemon peel, for garnish

Fill a tall glass with ice and add the Limoncello and gin. Top with the club soda and stir. Garnish and Enjoy.

 

IDEA I LOVE

So you hate to embroider on fabric – then don’t! Here’s a tutorial for taking cheap Dollar Store woven baskets and transforming them into yarn embellished, embroidered works d’art. Honestly, on second look, this appears to be more of a craft for a Brownie troop than for your sophisticated and inspired fingers. That said, why not give it a try and put a sophisticated embroidery 1-2-punch to it? Imagine the art you could create using the rectangular basket as your canvas, alone. You know, this really could be an exciting project to play with if you allow yourself to actually play rather than look for some kind of goal. Find the basics here…

http://www.designimprovised.com/2014/07/diy-baskets.html

 

WORDS TO LIVE BY

 

 

PATCHWORK, BABY! 

I love this Cleopatra Fan quilt from Robert Kaufman. It has the sophistication of a traditionally pieced quilt with the color sense of the modern quilting movement. Give it a shot…

Download this pattern 

 

MEMBA DIS?

Leggs

And, of course, there were the lovely Leggs eggs crafts!

Wouldn’t you love to know whatever happened to Alexandra Eames?  Burned at the stake, perhaps? LOL

IDEA I LOVE

Unlike most fabric scrap  accent rugs, this particular mat is knitted from strips of torn fabric. It never dawned on me to actually knit a cable-esque  pattern/design into a rug like this! That’s what caught my eye and made this particular project so exciting. It’s also very nice to find something that’s knitted and not only crocheted. I can’t imagine that this project would take you very long to make.  It seems to me that ripping then joining your fabric strips would be the most tedious and time-consuming part. Here’s the pattern…

http://blog.a-common-thread.com/post/41608131398/rag-bath-mat-tutorial#.U9MF_1b-qzA 

 

DESSERT! 

 The Wisconsin Bakers Association has served these treats at our state fair since 1924. 

STATE FAIR CREAM PUFFS

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Additional confectioners’ sugar

Directions

• In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil over
• medium heat. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball
• forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one
• at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until
• mixture is smooth and shiny.
• Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Combine
• milk and egg yolk; brush over puffs. Bake at 400° for 30-35
• minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut
• a slit in each for steam to escape; cool.
• In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and
• vanilla; beat until almost stiff. Split cream puffs; discard soft

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/state-fair-cream-puffs#ixzz38WflIeJ8

 

MUST HAVE

 Earrings? A pendant? A tiny broach? You have got to love this adorbs yarn ball project for your knitting and crocheting friends. It is so simple, and so sweet, that anyone who you gifted to will worship the ground you walk on (That’s why it is important to give one to as many people as possible…). Here’s how you make one…

http://www.allaboutami.com/post/92695137726/yarnball-hookpin

IDEA I LOVE

 

If your hobby is gardening then you don’t have time to make soap, too. This tutorial is simply to make the covering for your favorite bar of soap from roughly woven fabric. The fiber will clean your hands as the soap does its job. Nice gift for yourself and for others. Make a bunch…

http://craftsmitherz.blogspot.de/2014/07/gardeners-soap.html

 

 

 PURE INSPIRATION

Emma Fay has cleverly transformed contortionists into spiders, giraffes and more. She uses water based paints and spent five hours painting the tarantula.

 

To see more of her work:  http://inspirationhut.net/inspiration/emma-fay-transforms-contortionists-animals-using-paint/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+InspirationHut+%28Inspiration+Hut+-+Everything+Art+and+Design%29

 

IDEA I LOVE

What’s not to love? This is a flower Afghan that I could get into making. It’s like covering yourself in a field of spring flowers every day of the year! Here’s how you make the flowers (which can also be used as embellishments in other crafts and fiber art)…

http://littlegreen.typepad.com/files/mollie-flowers-2-1.pdf 

 

SHOEspiration

Beautiful French Chantilly lace insert peep toe “Mio” wedding bootie, hand embellished with crystals, seed pearls and delicate silk and Mother of Pearl flowers. This shoe also features a hand embellished blossom flower, Duchesses silk satin upper, soft gold kid leather lining and leather sole.  £645.00  ($1095.00)

 

IDEA I LOVE

My poor, sweet Pug, Tulip is about 137 years old. That’s why she is having her paw prints stamped, and these delicious little pet-loving tributes to all three of my dogs – – Tulip, Petunia, and Violet – –  will happen today!   I not only love the look of these, but what a wonderful way to honor and preserve the memories of your very best friends…

 http://edytadecoracion.blogspot.com/2013/12/dos-diy-un-regalo-muy-especial-un.html

Have you checked out …

THE SLOW STITCHING MOVEMENT WEBSITE?

The new Slow Stitching Movement blog has been posted. This blog is about “Creating and Participating in a Slow Stitching Salon.” I’d love for you to take a look at it and give me any feedback. Thanks! xooxm

 

 

Just CLICK on the SLOW STITCHING BLOG box on the Slow Stitching Movement website: http://www.slowstitching.com/    (please subscribe while you’re there)

 

OH DEAR ME!

Bailey’s dipped toasted marshmallows!   Someone please pass the insulin!

 

DON’T MISS A THING, MISS THANG! 

 

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