Sew a Embroidery Scissor Wrist Cuff! Create Ruffle Bunny Appliqué Kitchen Towels! Make a Quilted Rag Table Runner! Make Thread Spool Wine Stoppers! How to Store Your Fusibles and Interfacings! DIY a Paper Book Jacket! Create an End of Day Quilter’s Chooky Basket! Make a Hobo Shoulder Bag! Crochet a Floppy Stuffed Bunny! Learn Floral Imprinting on Fabric! DIY Stamps from Your Photos! Knit a Back Scrubber! Piece a Colorful Charm Quilt! Craft Hands for Your Garden! How to Turn Broken China into Mosaics! Stitch Wildflower Embroidery! PLUS . . . Recipes, Videos, Inspiration, Creativity, Ideas, and More

ARTspiration

Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my soul.  This 3-D digital art piece is called “Mr R Underwater” By butchsl.  

YOKE DU YOUR

What do you get when you cross a four-leaf clover with poison ivy?

A rash of good luck on St. Patrick’s Day.

DESIGNspiration

Look around you. Design is everywhere! Keep your eyes open. How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?   This is the HOUSE OF TAN TENG NIAH in Singapore. 

IDEA I LOVE

 

Never look for your snips or pincushion again.  This tutorial for this nifty Embroidery Scissor Wrist Cuff can be your dreams come true. Plus, imagine what the extra weight can do for your biceps and delts.  Here’s how you make one: http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2015/03/thimblenest-thursdays-tutorial-for.html

IDEA I LOVE

 You gotta love this ‘quilted’ rag table runner.  It’s a quilt-as-you-go technique and doesn’t even need a binding.  Just imagine how good you’ll feel after you make your table runner with fresh, bright, and Springy fabric choices.  Make your table (and your creative soul) happy.  Click on the link to find out  how you make it:

http://justanotherhangup.blogspot.in/2013/01/rag-quilted-table-runner-tutorial.html

YUMMY DISH!

EASY BAKED TACO PIE

INGREDIENTS

• ground beef
• onion
• chili powder
• diced tomatoes
• frozen corn
• whole wheat tortillas
• Mexican Style 2% Milk Finely Shredded Four Cheese
• Reduced Fat or Light Sour Cream

 

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/easy-baked-taco-pie-121411.aspx?cm_mmc=Social-_-Pinterest-_-CPC-_-TacoPie&pp=0

IDEA I LOVE

I’m a homemade book freak so it’s no wonder why I love these paper covers for all of our little notebooks.  Blue for ideas, orange for the budget, green for computer passwords, and … well… you get it.  Upgrade your ugly composition notebooks with a gorgeous sheet of paper and some thread.  Learn how to make your book covers by clicking on the link:  http://fellowfellow.com/diy-notebook-cover/

BREATHLESS INSPIRATION

“Starting with vintage photography and illustrations of models sporting fashions from the 1950s, Amsterdam-based artist Hinke Schreuders applies a rich layer of hand-stitched embroidery, beading, lace, and flourishes of ink to entirely new images that can be both unsettling and exuberant.”   www.thisiscolossal.com

SO DRINK, CHUG-A-LUG CHUG-A-LUG

Red Velvet Cocktail

Ingredients

• Pink champagne or sparkling rose

• Stout beer

• ground espresso

• Orange twists

 

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE   http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/red-velvet

IDEA I LOVE

Here’s a new take on fabric and rope basket making — it’s an end of day quilter’s chooky basket! Cute isn’t it?  And it’s perfect as an Easter basket,  Spring decor, or to carry your needlework projects from room to room.  Click on the link for the tutorial:  https://www.susies-scraps.com/2016/03/24/end-day-quilters-chooky-basket-tutorial/

WORDS TO LIVE BY

IDEA I LOVE

I have never seen a hobo shoulder bag that I didn’t like. It can be made to be either masculine or feminine, larger or smaller, simple or fancy, solid or pieced.  I find these to be perfect to carry my handwork projects (and all of the junk I compulsively carry along with them).  It’s a fairly simple to sew pattern (even with lining) and you can adjust the size and fabrics to your taste.   Click on the link for the tutorial:

http://www.handmadiya.com/2016/10/hobo-shoulder-bag.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+handmadiya/YTMl+(DIY+Tutorial+Ideas!)

CROCHETspiration

Easter Schmeaster, who doesn’t love a cuddly stuffed bunny any time of the year? Sorry, sewists, this is a crochet pattern.  With all of the wonderful types of yarns on the market, you can allow your creativity to soar.  Mix and match yarns, colors, and textures for a truly exciting wabbit. Find the pattern for the Floppy Stuffed Bunny by clicking on the link:  http://www.1dogwoof.com/floppy-stuffed-bunny-crochet-pattern-easter/

MAN CAN LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!

Fast No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

• whole wheat flour
• whole rye flour
• coarse cornmeal
• instant yeast
• salt
•  Oil

For the full recipe CLICK HERE:  https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016272-fast-no-knead-whole-wheat-bread?action=click&module=Collection+Page+Recipe+Card&region=No-Sugar+Added&pgType=collection&rank=13

MEMBA?

Your first sniff of a Magic Marker!

Or having to wait to have your record played . . . 

And now a word . . .

While the weather is cool, I’m heading back upstairs to continue clearing out my studio. Get first dibs on all of my eBay listings when you follow the Pickle Road Stash Busting page on Facebook! Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PickleRoadStashBusting/

COOKIES!

MILKY WAY RICE KRISPIE TREATS

Ingredients

mini marshmallows

butter

vanilla extract

Rice Krispie Cereal

caramels

sweetened condensed milk

butter

Chocolate chips

 

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://www.yourcupofcake.com/2014/10/milky-way-rice-krispie-treats.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+YourCupOfCake+(Your+Cup+of+Cake)

LOL

JUST BECAUSE I SWOON

I was driving home from a doctor’s appointment the other day and stopped in Madison, New Jersey for a bite to eat.  A woman got out of the car in front of me carrying a bag very similar to this one. It sparkled like diamonds in the bright sun (of course it’s freezing cold again in New Jersey and we’re expecting a Nor Easter this wee),  I started beeping my horn to catch her attention.  She came to my window and shared her resource (She also told me that she LOVES similar bags from a company called Antik Batik).  To find bags like the one I’ve shown, click on the link below (I almost bought this one — I had throw my credit card across the room):

https://www.etsy.com/listing/512468615/bags-banjara-gypsy-banjara-bag-ethnic?ref=related-3

 

IDEA I LOVE!

With kitchen linens this cute, you finally have a valid excuse NOT to do the dishes!  Find the pattern and tutorial for making a set of these Ruffle Bunny Applique kitchen towels (wouldn’t they make a nice surprise for your BFFs?) by clicking on the link below:

http://www.sew4home.com/projects/kitchen-linens/ruffle-bunnies-fun-appliqué-kitchen-towels

BE DAZZLED!

Dolce & Gabbana’s (their design talent is only eclipsed by their colossal assholery) exclusive capsule for a striking take on the basic headphone design with this sparkling revamp. Crafted from gold metallic leather, this pair is decorated with dazzling floral embellishments that give them their instantly recognizable look. Slip them on to enjoy your music in the most luxe way possible.   Ready?  $6995.00   (yeah, right…)

Buy your set here:  http://www.mytheresa.com/en-us/exclusive-to-mytheresa-com-embellished-metallic-leather-headphones-694065.html?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=polyvore.us

PATCHWORK, BABY! 

Your 5″ square charm packs can be transformed to this pretty and simple, graphic Charm Quilt pattern.  I love the designer’s technique for putting this quilt together lickity split.  Click the link for the tutorial and pattern:

http://livelovesew.com.au/free-charm-quilt-pattern-tutorial/

SHOEspiration

MULTY WINTER BACK OPEN

https://www.stylo.com.pk/pk/multy-winter-back-open-32836.html

IDEA I LOVE!

 

With the spring flower blooming season right around the corner (and summer blooming right after), you’re going to want to learn a technique for floral imprinting on fabric.  Why not try something new.  Live large, gurl!  Here’s the tutorial on how to plan your natural dyeing.  Click here: http://eye-swoon.com/floral-imprinting/

IDEA I LOVE!

Make wonderfully creative stamps from your photographs, then print them onto paper or fabric yardage. Imagine the new twist in your quilt designs using your own, self-stamped fabrics from your own images.  Take the idea and run.  Here’s where you begin (practice makes perfect): http://sewsewart.blogspot.com/2011/07/making-stamp-from-photograph.html

KNITspiration!

Knit yourself a back scrubber to rid your weary body of winter’s skin.  Knit it as long or as short as you like to suit your body and range of motion.  Get the free pattern by clicking on the link:  http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/knit-back-scrubber#prettyPhoto

First Reviews

Jeffrey Turner’s (Mr. Electric) book being published by Simon and Schuster got its first unsolicited review by Kirkus!  Click on the photo below to read it.  The book will be released the first week of April!

Click on the book cover to pre-order WHO BROKE THE VASE? from Amazon.

I’m even getting in on the “Who Broke the Vase?” act.  I’m designing a “Who Broke the Vase?” pattern full of the book’s characters just for you!  Keep checking back here or follow me on Facebook for sneak peeks of more completed blocks!

GARDENspiration

Depending on how you display them, these concrete hand planters can be totally wonderful and unique or absolutely the creepiest thing known to mankind.  I love the way that simply stuffing rubber gloves with cement can create art.  Stick them out throughout your flower garden (like the Living Dead) for a fun conversation piece.  Hmmmm, I wonder what other kinds of latex we can fill with cement for garden adornment?    Here’s the tutorial on how to give yourself a hand: http://diyfunideas.com/diy-concrete-hand-planters-bowls/

MUST HAVE

I LURVE this Ncore retro mechanical  keyboard and am going to have to have it.  And, guess what?  There are more than several Apps that you can download that will actually sync with your keyboard to make authentic typing sounds.  Oh rapture.  $129.99

Click here to get yours:  http://bit.ly/2msuTho

IDEA I LOVE!

 

If you’ve ever wondered how to use broken china in a mosaic and in mixed-media, you’re hit the jackpot.  Click here to start making art using old plates, cups, and ceramics.  Smashing glass…what a terrific way to relieve stress.  Opa!   Here’s a tutorial: http://enchantedrosestudio.blogspot.com/2009/05/broken-china-mosaic-and-mixed-media.html

TIP I LOVE

I love this tip for organizing our sewing rooms. In this case, using an unused wine rack for a great way to organize stabilizers and fusibles.   Click on the link for more sewing room ideas:

https://thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com/2007/07/19/sewing-room-organization-challenge-part-iii-needles-and-stabilizers/

EMBROIDERYspiration!

Make your hands and house joyful by embroidering wild flowers in wonderful happy colors.

http://hodgepodgecraft.com/free-floral-meadow-embroidery-pattern/

 

DESSERT!

LEMON-CREAM CHEESE PIE

INGREDIENTS

• sugar
  
• cornstarch
  
• egg yolks
  
• lemon juice
  
• butter
  
• salt
  
• sweetened condensed milk
  
• cream cheese
  
• lemon juice
  
• instant lemon pudding mix
  
• Baked Pastry Shell
  
• Whipped cream
  
• Lemon zest or lemon slices

FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE  http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/lemon-cream-cheese-pie

IDEA I LOVE

Use leftover spools of thread to give your opened wine bottles a pop of color! Glue spools to ends of corks for a nice finish.  http://www.countryliving.com

… and SPRING IS COMING 

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