Crafteverly: June 2023

Handmade Card

I'm linking up with Crafty Creators.

Here is a card I made for my sister's birthday.

Materials Used:

Folded card with envelope. Card measures 4.25x5.5 inches.

Misty Morning Paper Pad by Recollections (from Michaels)

Solid white and light blue cardstock from Recollections Essentials

Embossing folder for the white vertical piece

Square punch for the light blue paper

Blue ink pad to ink edges

Blue Cricut pen for sentiment

Blue fibers I had on hand

Baby blue bow

Cricut for cutting shapes. I used a maker, but you could also use an Explore.

Butterfly clear stamp that I got from Scrapbook.com

We R Memory Keepers Precision Press Advanced (for stamping)

These are Amazon affiliate links which means if you decide to make a purchase through one of my links, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Handmade Birthday Cards

Crafters need inspiration, and I hope you find some here today.

I can finally post the birthday cards I made for the "kids" this year. My twins are not kids anymore. They're both grown, responsible adults, but I love to make them cards, and today is their birthday!

For my son, I used a design from The Bearded Housewife. It was perfect since my son loves everything outdoorsy, especially fishing. I added an extra double layer attachment to the back so the fish raises up to open the card. Here is the outside:

Nick's designs at The Bearded Housewife are awesome! Check out his site linked above. I love the way this turned out.

For my daughter, I created my own design. It involved a lot of ink and a lot of paper flowers. I blended six colors of blue ink to make the background and used my wavy cutter to make a curved opening. I used heat embossing on the large area on the left along with a Brocade stencil from LDRS Creative. When you lift up the sentiment, there is another flower taking the place of the one attached to the sentiment and there is a birthday greeting inside.

The flower kind of covered up the "y" in birthday, but overall, I'm pleased with the result. Should I tweak it and offer it on Etsy?

Here are some greeting cards that I made and already have available on Etsy. They have a feminine, shabby chic vibe. Four cards and envelopes are included in the set. Check it out here.

And if you are looking for designs and/or fonts, the best place to find them is Creative Fabrica! They have freebies, bundles, and deals as well as an inexpensive monthly membership giving you access to everything in their library with a commercial license included!

Have a great week!

Love, Crafteverly

(Links for Creative Fabrica are affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. All other links are not affiliated.)

Quick Tip Tuesday - DIY All-Purpose Cleaner

This isn't necessarily craft-related, but one must clean up after doing certain projects, and I have a DIY recipe for all-purpose cleaner rather than going out and buying a new product.

I use a glass spray bottle, but I'm sure a plastic one would do just as well (if not as environmentally friendly).

Mix the following:

1/4 cup original blue Dawn dish soap

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cups water

Gently swirl the bottle to mix the ingredients. It is helpful to allow the cleaner to sit for a bit so you will have less scrubbing to do.

Dawn claims to have a "secret ingredient" that helps to cut through grease... and soap scum. It works especially well on showers and bathtubs. I also use Dawn as a stain remover. I use a small amount of Dawn and water and scrub it in with a toothbrush. I let the stained item soak in a sink of tap water for a while then pop it into the wash. I can't say it ALWAYS works, but it works better than any other stain remover I've tried.

Vinegar is antibacterial, and the acid in it can dissolve mineral deposits, dirt, grease, and more.

Lemon juice, which is also acidic, has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. It also makes things smell lemony fresh.

Enjoy your new cost-effective all-purpose cleaner!

Recent Crafts

I have been having so much crafting fun this week! I've been working on some paper projects for my twins' upcoming birthday. These aren't my designs, so I won't include them in my Etsy shop, but I thoroughly enjoyed creating them. I will link the designers below this post so you can get the files, too. They are FREE! (You may have to sign up for a newsletter, but otherwise, no cost except your own materials.)

Paper purse - It is actually a purse with an outside pocket and an inside pocket and a Velcro closure.

This is the front

This is the back

Paper wallet that I will be using as a gift card holder. It also has a Velcro closure.

This fisherman's bucket hat can actually be used as a gift "bag."

Surprise! The top comes off. Isn't that clever?

I can't wait to fill them with gifts and give them to my kids.

And if you need a last-minute, inexpensive, printable greeting card for Father's Day, here are two options:

Tools

Mustache

Printable cards are great! Print, fold, crease, done! Have a great weekend!

Paper purse and wallet can be found at Jennifermaker.com Design 393.

Paper bucket hat can be found at

Visit Crafty Creators for more inspiration!

Beginner Sewist - What You Need to Get Started

In 2019, I had a part time gig at Jo Ann Fabrics. I really liked it so I continued even after I returned to my full-time teaching job. I knew I would be retiring from teaching soon. And I really loved being surrounded by all of the crafts and fabric and creativity!

A card I made for my granddaughter to give a friend.

I've been an avid paper crafter for years, and I dabble in wood and paint crafts, but I never thought I would take up sewing (again), until I worked at Jo Ann. I took sewing in middle school and high school, either 3 or 4 years, and I remember the basics. So 30-something years later, I decided to jump back in! There are so many things to create!

I made my own sewing machine cover.

For 3 1/2 years I have been back in the sewing game, and what I haven't been able to remember on my own, I have been able to learn and relearn. So if you're thinking of taking up the hobby, go for it!

There are a few obvious essentials:

1. sewing machine

2. scissors or rotary cutter (or both)

3. needles

4. thread and bobbins

5. pins and/or clips

6. fabric

7. tape measure

8. cutting mat

Here are a few other things that make sewing easier that might not seem so obvious.

9. Seam ripper. I make mistakes. I've had to take projects apart and start over. Even the most experienced sewists do, too.

10. Pen with Soluble or Disappearing Ink. I need to be able to mark my fabric for patterns, hem lines, cutting, and so on.

11. Nippers. I call them that. They are little sewing scissors that are actually called thread snips. Even if your machine has an automatic thread cutter, you will need these small scissors. Your regular fabric scissors can be unwieldy when trying to cut small threads.

12. Pinking sheers. These not only help prevent fraying but are also one easy way to finish a seam.

13. Patterns. I have purchased a few, but I also find free patterns on the Internet.

Bonus: You need resources that you can trust. There are a multitude of resources on the Internet with their own blogs, YouTube channels, and what-not. I have curated a list of sewing enthusiasts that I trust.

**Made Everyday - I usually watch Dana on YouTube where she does all types of tutorials such as zipper bags, totes, drawstring bags, skirts, quilts, backpacks, envelope pillows, and so much more!

**Vintage Fashion House - I also usually watch Evelyn Wood of VFH on YouTube as well. I don't design clothing like she does, but she explains things so well, and not only how to do something but why. I learned about understitching and stay stitching which I had never heard of before. She taught me how to sew darts. She gives practical tips for beginning sewists like how to choose a fabric, how to read a pattern, what to do if you don't have a serger, and all about good sewing habits.

**Professor Pincushion - Their YouTube channel is an invaluable tool. I've learned how to add piping to a pillow, gather fabric, and use bias tape. They teach everything from basic sewing information all the way to advanced projects.

** Hello Sewing. I spend more time on Helen's blog, but she also has a YouTube channel. I watch her videos on her blog rather than on YouTube usually, because she also gives written directions and lots of free patterns. She shows you step-by-step how to make your project right there on her blog. I've made headbands with and without elastic, gift card holders, a poncho, and fabric bins.

And if you watch their videos or read their blogs, and these experts tell you not to skip a step, DON'T SKIP THAT STEP!

I don't work at Jo Ann anymore due to COVID. They didn't close, but I didn't want to bring COVID home to my family. I miss being surrounded by all the creativity! It feeds my soul! Happy Sewing!

My Pinterest Textiles Board

Crafting Brands I Like

My Etsy Shop (some items I've sewn recently)

Quick Tip Tuesday

Today's tip is for Cricut owners.

You know how you hate when you don't get a clean cut? Many times it is because your mat isn't sticky enough. You may not be able to notice with the naked eye, but your mat is moving a little every time the machine moves, and you're left with a wacky cut.

Instead of throwing your mat away, try washing it first.

Use warm water and a small amount of liquid hand soap.

You can wash any type of mat: Fabric grip, light grip, standard, even non-Cricut brands (although I believe Cricut makes a superior product. More on that another day.)

Give it a gentle, yet thorough, washing, removing all debris.

Let your mat(s) air dry. I set mine on the side of the tub for a couple of days to make sure the front and back were completely dry.

After washing your mats, they should be good for more cuts! A clean mat might be your new best Cricut friend!

What is your favorite hobby?

Hi. Thanks for stopping by!

Today I was wondering about my own answer to the question, "What is your favorite hobby?" My husband and I were talking about hobbies he's had over the years and what he enjoys now so he won't be bored when he finally decides to retire. He used to build models, but he doesn't think that interests him anymore.

That got me thinking. If anything, I would say that I keep developing more and more hobbies instead of deciding not to do them anymore. I love being creative regardless of the hobby I'm doing except for maybe one of them.

I used to enjoy creating slideshows with music and videos. The whole family came to me when they needed one. I don't think the program I used to use is around anymore, having been replaced by much newer technology. There is a learning curve with new programs, as I'm sure you know, so I am searching for the best program to do this with that isn't too expensive (ahem-Adobe). I'd love to hear your suggestions! I'm using Clipchamp and Canva (both free or cheap), but I feel like there are probably more robust programs out there. Let me know!

And as for my favorite hobby? I can't choose one! Sometimes it's sewing. Sometimes is scrapbooking or making cards. Sometimes it's painting or creating wood signs. It changes like the tides.

Let me know if you have video/picture editing software that's inexpensive and easy to use!

P. S. Check out my Etsy shop. Refer a friend!

This is Texas

This seems to be how people view Texas... and it is true! But... there is a lot more to Texas that isn't captured in these photos. Hope you enjoy them!

I will link up with Image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday.

Please check out my Etsy shop if you can. Thanks!

Beachy Random and More

Are you a beach person? It's certainly that time of year here and in many other parts of the U.S. with temps already in the 90's. That's normal, though, here in the Texas Gulf Coast region, and school has already been out for over ten days. Summer is in full swing!

So, are you one of those people that prefers the beach to the pool? Prefers sun instead of shade? Loves the feel of wet sand between your toes? Enjoys the ocean breeze ruffling your hair? Then you might like the design I created last weekend...

click to see larger

I decided to put it on a t-shirt (11 colors available), a white soft-style tank top, and a tote bag. Take a look if you'd like. If you have a friend who loves the beach, any of these would make a great gift!

Speaking of the beach, we are about 30 miles from Galveston. Granted, it's not the prettiest beach I've ever seen (Hello? It's Texas, not Hawaii!). But it's a beach nonetheless. We try to avoid it on holidays and during festivals because it just gets too crowded or a group of people will start trouble, so, we tend to go when other people are elsewhere. We can sit under an umbrella, listen to the waves, feel the cool breeze coming in off the water (despite the heat), wade in the water, have a cookout on the beach, or all three!

Not our actual burgers. Ours were better! But it does look like Galveston!

One of my fondest memories is when our whole blended family went to the beach, including the dog -who has since passed :-( We had a great time, and my husband made "juicy lucy" burgers for everyone. But enough nostalgia for now. How about something funny? These are "shore" to make you laugh!