Ruffled Tree Skirt

I saw this ruffled tree skirt a few years ago, and fell in love, but I had just made a new tree skirt to match my new Christmas color scheme...which is green, chocolate and cream. So....then we decide to move...and our new home has higher ceilings than our last house....and my tree looks a little dwarfed. I know, I should just buy a new tree, but I can't seem to find one that is not pre-lit...and really...hundreds of dollars for 1 more foot of height, seems silly. I have a really good quality tree now, so the plan is to put the tree on a box...stay with me now...I'm getting to the point...my tree skirt however, is not large enough to cover the box and down onto the floor....so...yay...I get to make the tree skirt I wanted...the ruffled tree skirt.  I already had some cream linen, I think it was an old tablecloth...and I've never used it, so time to repurpose it. I headed to the fabric store for some chocolate fabric...lucky for me, they were having a sale, buy 1 meter get 2 free. So for 14.00 I walked away with 3 meters of chocolate brown fabric. Do not underestimate how much you need...I didn't use all the fabric I bought, but had enough to make 4 new stockings as well, but thats it.

Started out with a pattern...I used some wrapping paper to cut the shape, or half the shape of the skirt, and although I didn't take a pic...I did cut half a hole in the middle of the long straight edge, which will go around the tree trunk. Size will be determined by what you need...I measured with the box and tree stand, and I needed more than four, not quite 5' in diameter...so I think I settled on 56"

 I used an old sheet for the base...I mean, what are you going to do with a sheet that doesn't match your bedroom decor anyway???

 Then I cut the linen and the chocolate...3" strips...the longer the better. I also decided to zig zag what would be the exposed edge of each strip. I was concerned about fraying over time, so I figured I might as well take care of that issue.

 Starting on the outermost edge, I began hot gluing the strips (after running to the store to purchase a new hot glue gun, as my 20 year old one decided it didn't have another project in it), pinching as I went along. Only a couple of burns...after which I usually exclaim "HOT glue"

 When I came to the end of a strip, but not the end of the row, I put some glue down on the previous strip edge, and put the next strip right side to right side of strip already down and glued...so it looks like another pinch

Stay tuned for a finished product picture on the weekend, when I set up my tree with the new skirt and the new matching stockings.

 Here, as promised, is the finished tree skirt under the tree...I am very happy with the finished product.

MIA???

Seems like I've been M I A for the summer...nope, here, busy...working...crafting and hubby had emergency by-pass surgery as well...so it made for an interesting summer. He is recovering quite well and things have returned to normal, well, as normal as our clan can be.

My latest projects have consisted of working on my sewing room. Its just a tiny little room in my basement, adjacent to my craft area...it also doubles as extra storage, so it was a challenge to make the area aesthetically pleasing while making it easy for everyone else to find things when they need them. Also dealing with a less than attractive cement wall that is very uneven and somewhat unattractive...but since there are no plans to change that, I just worked with what I had. Below is a pic of the area emptied out before I began painting. Notice the lovely panel box too...

 Good news is that I have an updated, however small window for natural light...it does look into our driveway, and so in some of the pictures you will notice our cars, but hey, thats life

 Here is the storage area...love all the shelving, its just really ugly

 Here is the first after shot...colour is a tealish aqua-ey colour...now, it did seem a bit dark at first, but one I got all my stuff back in, I was happy with the choice. Notice the small green fabric cabinet...that green is the colour of the craft room...weird combo, but it works, well, I think it does anyway. Made the ironing board cover myself, as all the pre made ones are not pretty and I wanted pretty, even had enough left over for a small valance.

 Here is what I like to affectionately call my "wrapping centre"...in the middle I put some cork boards from the dollar store, to hold bows and ribbon. I covered them with fabric and staple gunned (as my husband gasps) to the wall. I have been wanting to make something for all my wrapping stuff, and who knew I had it all along, so Im quite happy with that. The chair, which you can barely see at the bottom of the picture, was a yard sale find a couple years ago...it had some damage, the veneer was cracked, but I loved the style, so hubby spraypainted it black and then I modpodged the seat and back with ads from an old Craft magazine from 1936 that I picked up at a local antique store we frequent. Another post will follow with the chair project

 This is a peg board I painted, then created a stencil with my cricut and painted the "create" with the same green as the fabric cabinet. I got dowels from the dollar store (gotta love that place) and cut them to hold a spool of thread and the matching bobbin, and then glue gunned them into the pegboard...made some extra on the other side, just so all my stuff is easy to see and grab. Now the pin cushion in the tea cup is an old one that I've had forever, and just last night I made one of those cute ones from pinterest with a jelly jar and the same fabric from the cork boards...but I guess I neglected to take a shot of it.

 Here is the eensy weensy little window with its eensy valance, cute though, and a great window ledge for setting stuff, like my large pinecones, and pics of me and hubby

 Got some mdf letters from Hobby Lobby for 2.49 each, covered them with scrapbook paper, mod podged them, sanded them and stuck some ribbon and buttons on them. Hubby spray painted the piece of drywall the panel box was on, wires and all, just so it looks a little less obvious.

 The wreath I made earlier this year from dictionary paper...it just hadn't found a home where I liked it...but I love it here. The sign I made myself...we were at a yard sale earlier this year, and this guy was selling all these wood planks for $1 each...I bought 5 or so, then hubby went back and got me like 20 more...lol...he knows me so well. I painted it roughly with some leftover paint, and tried not to cover the wood entirely. Cut some letters out with my cricut and Sure Cuts a Lot software for the quote. I even drilled the holes in the wood myself, once I figured out how to use the drill...(hubby usually does this for me, but he wasn't home) and then just ties some jute and knotted it in front to hang it up

 Got some dollar store fabric baskets to hide all the not-so-pretty items that get stored here, then made tags with my cricut and ran them through my printer with the contents of the basket

 The chest we picked up at a yard sale a month or so ago, for like $5...they wanted $10, but hubby haggled em down...I simply rolled up all my fabric and stacked them...I can see almost everything and fabric is somewhat like scrapbook paper, you can never have enough, and I love to collect it

 The only thing left to do is paint the desk that my sewing machine sits on...I want it black on top with everything else an antique white...a friend suggested perhaps black is not the best choice for a sewing table as it will be hard to see...what do you all think?

Thanks for looking...email me if you have questions...

Handbags...soooo cute

Made these for my daughter and myself...here is the link with the directions...so easy, made both in about an hour and a bit...there are 6 pockets on the outside of these bags, perfect for all those things you need to grab for regularly..

Stitching

Stitching is the theme this week at My Sheri Crafts...I really wanted to create something with my sewing machine but it just wasn't coming together like I wanted...so plan B...backstitching a vine...I'm pleased with the results...the sentiment is a stamp I got from My Sheri...love them...you get 5 or 6 in a pack, all different greetings intertwined with an image...sooo coooool.

Stitching Card

Supplies

9 x 6 1/4" card base in dk brown

5 x 5" piece of patterned paper

4 x 4 1/2" piece of co-ordinating paper, patterned but more solid

scraps of each paper for flowers

raffia

thank you stamp

brown pearl gems for flower centers

brown cat eye ink

brown embroidery floss

piercer

pop dots

adhesive of choice

Instructions

Score and fold card base

Cut a shield shape from the first pattern piece...big enough that the shield will cover the height of the card...I used 5 1/2". then trimmed to fit on card

Trim the second paper to fit underneath the first, ink all edges

On the plainer paper, lightly draw with a pencil, a vine design that extends up and over from the bottom right corner

Pierce the design evenly with a sewing needle or paper piercer

Back stitch with brown embroidery floss

Cut out 4 flowers at 1 1/2" and 6 flowers at 1"...curl the edges of half of them with a small needle, wrapping the petal around

Attach them to a flat flower, ink the edges

Attach the papers to the card base...arrange flowers on the stitched vine

Stamp your greeting, and cut it out, pop it up and attach some raffia for a stem

Cricut/Cricut Create "Jammies" for Sale

These adorable covers will fit your Cricut or Create Machine. They are all handmade and are completely washable. Price is $20.00 each plus shipping...(not sure of price...but will send in smallest bubble mailer possible, regular post) Payments only through paypal if interested...will mail the same or next business day. Colors available are chocolate with teal dots/chocolate and teal paisley, green with chocolate dots/chocolate with green vine and chocolate with pink dots/pink and chocolate paisley. If you would like an expression cover made, they will be $25.00 and made to order. Colors limited to availability. Email me at scrappingcat@yahoo.ca and please put "jammies" in subject line. Thanks

Bug Jammies

I've been working hard on these "jammies" for all my friends' bugs for Christmas presents. Would love some feedback if you have a minute...tell me what you think. Tfl!