Tolentreasures

Simple Tools Sketchbook or Paper Dollar Store Drafting Tools (although I am shopping for some better ones) Pencil Sharpie Pen (or your favorite, that just happens to be mine) Draw concentric circles and divide them up.    This one is at 30% increments but you can choose,  just so it is even.  You will do this lightly with a pencil so that  it can be erased later.  Then you just start creating  Don't worry about a ruler. In the end the lines will look fine.  This one is mostly simple straight lines.  I never have an idea in mind,  I just wait and see what happens.  You will make a line and repeat the  same line the whole way around.  And remember, it is only paper. Big rule of thumb with a sketchbook,  never rip out a page,  your mistakes could become  masterpieces!  I repeated that same idea in one of the bigger circles....

A couple of years ago, I made the girls Easter décor for Christmas.   We laughingly called these the $200 carrots because of all the time invested in them.   Since then I have simplified the process a little and now actually enjoy making them.   You will need: Aluminum Foil Twine Scraps of fabric Some type of tags (I used paper office supply ones) Bits of greenery Hot glue gun Dark and light orange paint For one carrot, I use about 12 inches of aluminum foil. Fold it once to about an 1 1/2" from the side and then again about 2" down.   This helps make the shape of the carrot. Roll it up and scrunce it in on the bottom. Glue the twine to the bottom. Then glue the greenery in the top.   This allows the glue to set up on the bottom before you start wrapping and honestly saves some finger burns.   Then simply start wrapping. Until they are covered. I painted mine firs...

  Every now and then it is interesting to see where blog visits come from.   I was really happy to see the link to make these bags come up on this page.   Great use of directions!   Hop over and take a look!   Maybe there is something that you want to make!       http://soldiersangels.org/Sewing-and-Crafting-Team.html     http://tolentreasures.blogspot.com/2010/04/walkerwheelchair-bag-tutorial.html      

These little dresses. Found at yard sales and in boxes of aprons are adorable. But how to display them.    On a really cold winter day, what better place to hole up than this sunny, cheery sewing room.   I really don't spend enough time here.   Decorative hangers.   I have been told that they don't sell without cute hangers.   So, I raid the four year old grandson's closet, a quick peruse of Pinterest for ideas and away I go. This could easily be adapted to adult hangers though. Find a piece of material to fit the hanger, doubled. I have this awesome stash of drapery and upholstery sample books! Cut the fabric about an inch bigger than the hanger. Might as well make more than one. Press under the bottom edge and hem. Add some type of decoration on the fronts. Speaking of stashes.  There happens to be an awesome stash of lace, trims and ric rac in my sewing room. Sew the...

Because really, you are only going to use them a few times.   If only I had a dollar for every one of these I have made.   I would have....well maybe only $100 or so, but still I have made a lot of them! Start with a long, skinny rectangle. Lay any fusible medium on the sides and about 3 - 4 inches in from the ends depending on how wide your material is.   (You will have to fold and experiment with that length.   I was using Stitch Witchery which I cut in roughly 1/2 inch strips with the help of a six year old who wanted so bad to use that "roly thing that cuts" Translation: Rotary Cutter (so it's really not very even)   You can buy rolls of fusible stuff also without the paper on it so you have to do all your ironing first and slide that in lest you completely gum up your iron.   Iron the short end over about 1/2 inch. (that picture totally disappeared)   Then fold your ends in and i...

Before you cringe and run the other direction, get ready... there is no pattern.  C'mon, you can do it,  it's just circles.... really.  You want to cut a piece of  Roclon Multipurpose Cloth,  roughly 10 x 18   I always cut them a little bigger,  paint over the edges and then trim it last.  I used a quart paint can for the circles   Overlap them on the bottom a little. Trace another line in 1 1/4 inch in  on each side.  These are the blues that I used  Sprinkle them on liberally and paint them in.  Everyone's background will be different.  Beautiful!   Don't overblend.   Allow that to dry.  Sand lightly. Next you will need these colors.  You can use a stencil for the star or freehand it  Trace in the circles again and  add the noses and  let's basecoat  everything!  ...