Tuesday, September 30, 2008

BIG HALLOWEEN GIVEAWAY


Two winners will each receive a Halloween Tote, a $10 value.

How you can win: Please visit my Etsy Shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6151368 and then come back here and tell me your favorite item. I need the listing number, why you like it and a valid e-mail address. Only one entry per email address please.

Who is eligible: Everyone! You don't have to be a blogger to win, just supply a valid e-mail address.

When the giveaway ends: Friday, October 17, 11:59PM. I'll e-mail the winner(s), and results are always posted here as well. If the winner doesn't respond within 2 business days, a new winner will be drawn.

Update On My Etsy Shop!


I sold this diaper bag yesterday! Thank you Sparkling Butterfly for picking my bag from all the rest.
Please be sure and check out this site. She has some amazing yard artwork!

Monday, September 29, 2008

FREE PATTERNS


I think you will agree with me that this site is worth visiting. She has a cool purse pattern for sale...plus some cool FREE patterns as well.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Another Great Website For Sewing Help



This is a fantastic site. Lots of FREE patterns and ideas.
Free Patterns and Projects Are Sorted by Degree of Difficulty. So you can work at your own pace. They even have a section on helping you with your sewing machine. So before you get all frustrated and throw your sewing machine out the window, check out these simple trouble shooting steps! http://sewing.about.com/od/sewingmachineindex/a/mtroubleshot.htm

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Homemade Halloween Costumes

There are many commercial costumes available at the local stores, however between the cost, and lack of imagination, and the fact you end up with a half dozen kids all looking the same at a party. Nothing beats homemade. Below is some basic ideas for you to play with. All are cheap, easy, and allow for tons of imagination.

Do it in tights & leotards or Sweats

Skunk Black with white strip down the pack.. be careful everyone may run

Bunny Pink, brown, or white, add a powder puff or large pom-pom to the backside, and a set of ears make from constriction paper and a plastic headband. Now just hop on out and enjoy

Turtle Green with a piece of poster board attached to the back. Simple cut the poster board into a large oval, make random marks like a turtle shell, and paint.

Puppy Brown, tan or white, either paint, or pin paper spots on. Make floppy ears and bobby pin to hair over your ears. The tale can be most anything, depending on what type of doggie you wish to be. Add a little make-up.

Kitten Gold, brown, tan, white. Make ears from construction paper, attach to head band or bobby pin in to hair. Sew a simple round tale, and pin on.

Spider Black, For the legs grab some cheap black hose, stuff with any thing dark and light weight. Either sew, or staple to keep stuffing from falling out. Pin to clothing, add a little make-up

Costumes from the closet or second-hand store
Ghost: Grab a old white sheet, cut out the eyes. Be sure its is short enough not to trip you. Take scrap piece of sheet, and sew up a simple treat bag. OR Why be the same old plain ghost? A ghost going out in public might like to get dressed up a little. Use the same old white sheet, cut out holes for the eyes and a small slit for the mouth. Then dress it up a little. Put eye shadow and lashes around the eyes. Lipstick for the mouth. Put a little color on the cheeks. How about earrings and a necklace ? You could color in a beard or mustache. Use something besides just a white sheet to be a little more fancy

Clown: Sweet clothes that are too large. Decorate by using either fabric paint, or markers. For those who dare try tie-die. Tack on some large pop-poms, add a cheap wig, hat, and make-up. You may also stuff the extra space in clothing with tissue. However this could be messy, if you need to make a "pit-stop".

Scarecrow: Over sized flannel shirt, faded blue jeans with patches, rope for belt and to tie at the cuffs of his jeans and sleeves, stuff the shirt and jeans with plastic grocery, or paper, a little bit of straw to hang out of jeans and shirt. Add a little bit of make-up.

The American tourist: Guys loud Hawaii shirt, shorts (if weather permits), Large straw hat. Gals bright loud dress, flats, big sun hat, straw bag. Don't forget to have a camera, and maps hanging out, and that look of being lost. Guys can use a tourist bag, (like you get from travel agents, and gals can use the straw bag for their treats.

Jo-Ann Coupon at Joann.com

Use promotion code SFD273 in your online shopping basket through Tue., 09/30/08 03:00 AM PDT for 50% off the regular price of one item online at Joann.com*. Discount is taken off the regular price of the item.

* Offer excludes Grace Company, Electric Quilt Company, Crop In Style®, Best Value™, Creative Options and Brother® products; Madeira®, Sulky and Gutermann thread sets; Singer® accessories; Xyron® Design Runner; Framed Art & Mirrors; irons; dressforms; sewing machines; sergers; embroidery machines; sewing cabinets; software; exclusive quilt kits & bundles; die cut machines & accessories; clearance items; the purchase of Jo-Ann Gift Cards; tax and shipping charges. Additional exclusions may apply. Offer cannot be combined with other offers and is limited to available online stock; no rain checks will be issued. Promotion code can only be used once per person, cannot be combined with other promotion codes and cannot be used on past Joann.com purchases. Not valid on purchases from JoannDesigns.com, JoannArt.com, partner stores and Jo-Ann Stores.

This coupon can be found on the official Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts Website.

Sewing Tip Of The Day

Before you've even opened your sewing pattern, make sure you have read the instructions thoroughly TWICE ! Follow each step carefully, and in order. There's always a reason why the steps are in the order that they are, so resist the temptation to skip or swap steps around!

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION TIP

Flannel adds Support to most Fabrics. Flannel provides just the right backing for many sewing projects. You can use it for underlining, interfacing, and lightweight, soft backing for heirloom sewing. When the flannel interfacings or underlinings are pressed to the fashion fabric, they hold together long enough to be sewn in place. As an underlining, the flannel lends a soft, supple drape to the garment. Of course any printed design on the flannel will show through a lightweight fabric, so be sure to test your fabrics. Most IMPORTANT, always prewash your flannel.