GRADUATION CARD

Last year, I found myself having to purchase graduation cards.  With a closet full of scrapbooking and card making supplies, there was no excuse!  I promised myself to handmake grad cards this year.  A friend of mine, Melissa, who is a very talented and creative paper crafter, showed me a sample of what she was commissioned to do for her nephew's graduation.  To make a long story short, it was absolutely fabulous!  She always show me her creations that motivates me 110%.  I searched the internet for a card similar to what Melissa showed me and found this wonderful website and tutorial here.  

This is what the finished cards ended up looking:

I wanted to add a little dimension to the card so I added a little tassle made out of DMC thread.  This is how the tassel was made:

Starting in the front, wrap the DMC thread around the graduation cap square about eight times:

Slide a strip of thread underneath the front strands and tie a knot at the top, like so:

Remove thread from square and place another piece of thread horizontally under the bunch of thread you just removed from the square cap.  Securely tie a knot close to the top like so:

Cut the horizontal thread close to the knot and cut the bottom loop of the tassel:

Find the center of your graduation cap square and carefully poke a skewer through to make a little hole.  Slide the top of the tassel threads through the hole and follow with a brad.  Secure the brad by bending the metal pieces back so the back  metal pieces are flat against the cardstock.

Secure the back of the square cap with a piece of scotch tape. For dimension, I chose to use double-sided foam tape to give the card some interest, but if you don't have the double-sided foam tape, regular glue dots or glue will do just fine.  Adhere to the card.

Making personalized handmade cards are so much fun!  I've got a bunch more to make....Luckily all my recipients are males.  However, there are many pretty female grad card tutorials out there at internetville.

Happy Graduation to all the graduates! 

GRADUATION LEI

Ahhhh, graduation season is upon us.   A time to celebrate all the accomplishments students have worked so hard for the past school years.  In Hawaii, it is a tradition to give a lei to students at commencement exercises.  While there are a variety of leis out there, this year I chose to make ahead leis that can be stored 'till graduation day.  The idea came from a book from the local craft store and what I liked about it was that it was full of various lei projects with many colorful pictures and easy-to-follow directions.

Handcrafted Leis and Flowers Book

The Kumihimo Lei is one that I haven't seen and thought it would be a perfect lei to both the males and females as it wasn't too feminine and at the same time not too masculine.



I'm a visual learner so as you can see, the step-by-step directions met my needs!

Here is a picture of the finished product from the book:

School colors are represented in the leis.  Leis are braided using what is called RATTAIL, a nylon fiber that comes in rolls of 200 yards.

Rolls of Rattail

Multi-colored Rattail

The 8-strand lei is braided using what is called a Kumihimo Disk.  Directions in the book were so easy to follow, my family took turns during  TV night.  As it turns out, I learned that the Kumihimo braid is an ancient Japanese technique for woven necklaces and bracelets.  

Kumihimo Disk

Here, are a few that I completed.  Black and Gold for the mighty Cowboys, Green and Gold for the Dragons, Blue and White for the Waveriders and Black and Blue for the Hoop Dreams athletic team.



Completed Leis

Unfortunately I won't make it to any graduation ceremony this year but the leis will be sent out to the recipients in time for the ceremony.  Tonight I start the Green and White leis for the Wildcats.

Did a little sample of reggae colors.....Teenagers seem to really like these blend of colors together.  

A trial with red, yellow, green and black

Congratulations to all the graduates!  Hope you all become great leaders wherever you go and in whatever you do!  "Strive to Excel!"  Here are a few of my personal tips to the graduates:  treat everyone fair, every decision affects your future (choose wisely),  do a good deed for someone everyday, laugh, smile, and have fun!

Do you know anyone graduating this year?

GATHERED CLUTCH

Here's a project basically from scraps and if you dont mind my saying, it turned out actually not that bad.  The hardest thing really (for me personally)  is trying to find fabric colors and values that go well together.  My novice eye brought together blue, black,white and red colors.  To break the solid "zerbra" front band, I fabric glued on a red yoyo with a button sewed in the middle.


scrappy gathered clutch



This gathered clutch project came from  a NOODLEHEAD tutorial here.  Love that blog!  So generous with her tutorials!  This gathered clutch will definitely be on my Handmade Christmas gift to do list

So, are you going to try and make a gathered clutch?

Scrap Runner

Did I ever tell you that my mother is a Thrift Shopaholic?  It's amazing what she finds in the little Thrift shop she visits weekly.  Sometime ago, she purchased a box of scrap fabrics (lots of scrap) and gave them to me.  I LOVE the colors and patterns as they seem to be from the mid-70's.  The fabric pieces are rather small so there aren't much I can do other than making some kind of crazy quilt thingy. 

I remembered last summer, there was a local Quilt Show where I picked up this 3D Hexagon template and pattern:

The Pattern Front

The Acrylic Template (sorry about the bad lighting)

I cut up and pieced the fabrics together, did a simple top quilting.  Used up the last of the red binding from a previous project.  It ended up to be a table runner.

And here it is.  We used it for Valentines Day since it had a thick red binding that fit the occassion perfectly!

My kids mentioned it looks like something out of "grandma's" house.  PERFECT!  I love items that reminds us of certain places from our childhood.  Every now and then I'll run into an old piece of clothing or fabric that takes me back to my childhood when my mom used to do a little bit of sewing. 

This table runner consists fabric from my mom's Thrift shop purchase and left over fabric from my kid's infant clothing stash.  Yes, very colorful, indeed!  Guess vintage fabric continues to pop up here and there and brings us happy thoughts of back when life was so much more simple. 

What kind of things make you think of your childhood?

AMY BUTER COSMO BAG

I found Amy Butler's newest release STYLE STICHES and it won my heart.  Oh, it is full of fun ideas and colorful pages.  Love the visuals and the oh so pretty patterns.  The COSMO BAG seemed like a bag everyone of all ages would want for their own.  It is a BIG bag so a strong durable fabric only made sense. 

Amy Butler's Style Stiches

My fear of curves had to be overcome so I approached this project w/ an open mind that I would take my time and try to do it as carefully as possible.  Needless to day, I am pleased with the results.  It turns out to be a bag that can be used for overnighters, (daughter already used it twice), traveling (perfect size for a carry-on), beach, sports games, picnics, and the list can go on and on!  The pockets on the inside is way cool and I especially love the xtra deep side exterior pockets! 

Deep pockets on both sides

Nothing, I don't think, can ever fall out of them ever so deep pockets!  This bag will hold A LOT of "stuff". 

Front view of Cosmo Bag

Back View of Cosmo Bag

This bag is really cool, don't ya think?

CATCHING UP

First of all, Happy one-day-after Valentine's day!  It's been busy in our hmble abode and have a few minutes to do this quick post 'cause I'm just so proud of myself....



Well, my hubby officially banned me from the fabric store.  You see, we cleaned out our little storage shed that lives in our backyard, only to find seven large bins of fabric (large bins----oooooops!).  I found a bunch of unfinished projects and thought to tackle them, one by one....that leads me to this post.



About six years ago, a good friend of mine announced that she was expecting her first child.  I thought to make her a baby blanket and bag as I found sewing to be a zen for me and wanted to do something special for her  Well, it got over my head and basically got overwhelmed by the project.  It was put away temporarily thinking it would get completed sooner or later.  Guess it was later than sooner instead.  Here it is, six years later:

I got the idea from some magazine out of the doctor's office.  Guess it pays to sit and wait, and wait and wait 'till the doctor is ready to see his patient.



My inspiration for the bag originally came from a gift I rec'd from my first child.  It was such a simple gift that I used over and over I kept the idea of a tote and blanket  in the back burner.  The tote idea pattern came from this Log Cabin book. 

Best thing about it is that you can see the design from the layout pages before the blocks are sewed together.  Okay, I need an expecting mother that will appreciate the HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS I had no idea it would take to finish this (sigh!).



Tote interior large pocket



Tote interior small pocket

Yep, this is that famous clown fish from that popular movie, uh, SIX years ago.  I'm not crazy about the color and value combination.  I think I'm a little better today with putting fabrics together, just a little.  I'm still learning.

I had enough xtra blocks from both the tote and blanket to make two cute little pillows.  Just hafta "stuff" them later.

My favorite of this project was the bag.  Little "b" chose the log cabin design out of the book.  I think she made a pretty choice!



Close up of them little bitty strips that was so time consuming (for me) but I feel great that I finally finished this project.



Ya think she'll want to have another baby so I can finally give her this?  Okay, I hafta call her.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year!  And as we say it here in Hawaii, "Hauoli Makahiki Hou!".  Last night my family and I stayed home and enjoyed our quiet night alone to avoid the New Years Eve hustle, bustle and traffic.  We celebrated New Years with our own fireworks and fun.  It was great for a change to just stay home and relax after a busy, busy holiday season.  Every New Years Eve,  I cook up an Asian noodle dish as I have learned it represents longevity which may have proved to be as my dad lived to be 103 years and six months young with no illness and a mind still as sharp as a pin so I carry that belief w/me for my family.

Okay, on to New Years Resolution.....I pulled up my list from last year (Goodness, I've got go get with the program!) and crossed off those that I accomplished:

1.  Start the completion process of my VW Van wall quilt.
2.  Start the completion process of Gail Pan's Christmas BOM wall quilt  (pattern came from here)
3.  Start the completion process of Gail Pan's Christmas pattern (pattern came from here)
4.  Start a selvedge edge project (potholder and/or totes)  (see here)
5.  Do a Which Witch Halloween wall quilt (similar to my Which Elf wall quilt)
6.  Dust off and start at least two quilt patterns I haven't touch yet from my quilt pattern box (would you believe some of them are as old as m 15 year old son?)
7.  Start my VWBug BOM wall quilt
8.  Make Mahalo (Thank you) totes for my kid's teachers, coach mom's etc. (an idea I got from my ever so talented cousin on Oahu, let's just call her "Aunty Holly")   I don't have a pic of this as they were Xmas gifts and had to send them off but they were from  http://www.ellenmedlock.com/
9.  Start the slip covers for my sofa (I finally found more fabric and actually starting cutting them...yay!)
10. Last but not least, give my husband, son and daughter all the love support they need from me and hope I am able to deliver only the best to them.  DONE, DAILY.
Three out of Ten,,OK, no excuse now 'cause if these projects are still incomplete next year, then I just don't know what to say.  Hope the procastination bug don't bite me this year.

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  I wish only good things to come for everyone.  Peace on Earth!

What dish did you cook up for New Years and what does it represent?