What was I thinking?

While I was unemployed, I had a bunch of time on my hand.  If you don't include my crappy surgery recovery,  roughly 2-4 weeks.  I had 8 months of time on my hand.  I filled 9-12 hours of that time a week teaching my water aerobic classes, but the other 28 hours I would have otherwise been at work, I needed something to do.

 I wanted to spend my time doing something for the better.  I wanted to see people, volunteer, and get out of the house without spending too much money.  

I started volunteering at the Palmer Center (55+ crowd's community center)  helping in the computer lab and teaching the "more experienced" about facebook and email.  For some people it was great.  I helped a man compose a letter to his wife who was in a nursing home, I helped a couple find sheet music for their funny looking instrument, a cross between a harp and a guitar.  But their were some crazies.  The lady who had 17,000+ emails in her inbox, who would then "forward" them to her entire contact list is just one example.

The Palmer Center did not last too much longer after the "crazies" took over.

In the middle of February 2010, I got involved in the Boys and Girls Club Renovation.  ( This will get it's own post one day)  Helping with the Boys and Girls Club made me realize I have talents.  I can work with my hands, power tools aren't just for boys, and seeing something you have created is a better high than swiping my credit card for a similar mass produced item.

I am starting this blog to let me share these projects I have made:  It's my brag blog.  I intend on having other topics in my posts, but if I can inspire one person to look at an item at a store and say to themselves " I could make that"  then I have succeeded. 

Thank you for reading!

Jennifer

Competition Sparks Creativity

For a minute lest step back a few months.  The week before Thanksgiving, my favorite blog Lil Blue Boo was pumping up excitement for her new Lil Blue Boo / Dharma Trading Design Challenge.  Being mildly creative, I decided to look into it.  After her post of the rules, it seemed plausible, I just needed a medium.  (If you click the button to the side, you will see her posted rules)  

 To recap:  I needed to use a use a printing or dying technique with fabric.  This item could be anything I would like.  

Brain Storming:
In brief I like to take photos, I am not a photographer.  I have tons of photos hiding in my computer just waiting to bust free and be seen.

I have been wanting a good reason to print my photos on fabric using this technique I found on YouTube.  I desided to use this technique and incorporate the photos I had taken of my nephew and my cousin's daughter at the park.  

I incorporated the photos into two small picture books to give to them for Christmas.  Here is the process: 

Using the above video I prepped my fabric pages.  I used 100% cotton curtain lining from Joann Fabrics, I liked the extra weight. 

I printed 5x6 photos in the center of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of my prepped fabric paper 

 After the photo was printed and set, I ironed on a heavy interfacing to give the page some extra stiffness, and trimed the outside edges to 1/4 inch from the edge of the photo and 3/4 inch on the inside (binding side).  

I

then sewed on a fun fabric for the back side of the page using the photo edge as my stitching line on three sides leaving the binding side open creating a pocket.  

I inserted 4 7/8 x 5 7/8 - 2mm fun foam sheet into the pocket I made with the backing fabric.  and finished the edges with double folded 1/4 in bias tape.

My books each had 7 pages, a title page and 6 photo pages,  I sewed the first 4 pages together along the binding side, closing the pocket.  The last three pages got sewn together next.  

For the binding of the book I used 2 in satin binding as you would bias tape, and covered up the 3/4 in binded side on the 4 page and 3 page.  (be careful not to flip one side as I had done.  There is nothing like breaking 4 needles and ripping it out and starting all over)

To close the book I cheated and used a no sew fabric glue.  If my sewing machine broke  4 needles with 4 pages I hated to think what 7 pages would look like.  

 The final result of my nephew's book (Due to the present opening of my cousin's daughter's book being so close to the finishing of the book, I have no good pictures) :

THE END

Jennifer

A month in a name.

So as the new year came around I wanted to start my own blog. Having read numerous online I have become addicted. We will call this my new years resolution for 2011. It is now March 23, 2011. Almost a quarter of a year has gone by and I have gotten past the blogger URL. Congrats to me. 

Back in December, after Christmas, I ventured into Blogger with good intentions of setting a blog up.  Then I was stopped dead in my tracks.  I had no idea of a name...  Not wanting to settle on the first thing that came to mind and regret it months later, I shut down the computer.  Enough said, this would be too hard. 

I now have a deadline, March 31, 2011.  My favorite craft blog, lil blue boo has a contest going on.  This at the time required me to post a blog on my project ( to come shortly I hope).  This also was the inspiration for 2 of the best Christmas gifts I have ever given/made.  (Post to come before March 31, 2011).

Step one has started.  I have a blog. 

Step two, post my tutorial on how I made my awesome gift for both my nephew and my cousin's daughter. 

Step one is finished...time stamp 10:33pm March 23, 2011. 

New Years Resolution started a bit late.

Jennifer