Iron Craft '13 #3: Hearts and Flowers

This new Iron Craft Challenge was hearts and flowers in lieu of Valentines Day! Yay I was so waiting for this challenge b/c I had these felt hearts my mother gave me out of her craft stash. (thanks mom!) So I had to come up with something with them.

There were a total of 3 and I wanted to do something with them but didn't like how they were see-through. But I got an idea

First I applied glue to one side of the ornament. Then glued on to white felt. Let dry!

Cut away the felt from the ends. Now I wasn't done here. I thought it would be fun to use some of my bead stash and add shiny things to the background of the design. 

Enter my bead stash (1 box of many-sigh). I picked pink, turquoise, and and orange AB beads. 

I selected thread that matched the color of each particular bead. This was for pink. I used a fine needle to bead and of course the miracle cream to prevent thread from tangling- thread heaven! 

I used a double thickness of the thread and simply start beading. I would bead in rows and tack down between beads. 

Here they are done!

Next I wanted to hang them up so I found some old (and I mean old!) thread and used a thicker needle and threaded a small loop in the part of the ornament.

I am in love with how these turned out! My favorite is actually the turquoise! 

Totally Can't wait for the next challenge! Giddy!!! 

xoxoxo,

Lauren

Felt Christmas Card Snowmen Hanger

After doing this felt craft and the Bucilla Penquin Snow Hanger I have decided no more felt projects for me. They are beautiful in the end but I find myself frustrated and angry during the entire crafting process. I don't like seeing the stitches and that is difficult with felt. Crafts and sewing should be fun and not painful. I don't have the patience for felt, but I have patience for sewing hundreds and thousands of sequins and beads on projects..... yeah I don't get it, go figure.

So I started with this Bucilla Project here that I picked up. Pretty cute, it is a card holder. Thought it was different and would make a nice christmas gift.

Again I cheated with using fabric paint rather than embroidery, I find I can control the end outcome better! I also used fusible interface rather than the pellon they gave (because they did not include enough!!! Bad Bucilla!).

Here are some during pictures. :)

The end product- the top part.

The entire portion, it is huge!

The back I covered with fusible fleece, again there was not enough included in the package to cover the entire back.

I am giving away some of the felt projects I had purchased to my mother. She likes them. Me, no more they are just taking up space in my craft room. And I don't have a lot of space to spare! LOL

Here's to finishing another Project! Wahoo!

XOXOXOXO,
Lauren

Halloween costume- Felt Medals

Part of my boyfriend's halloween costume this year (which we are not going to reveal until the party), requires medals. However, I wanted to make them rather then purchase them. We are looking to save money and get out of debt! Additionally, I decided to use this project for the iron craft challenge #43- fear not. The ulitmate goal was to try something new with what you normally craft with. Normally, I am a sewer, cross stitcher, needlepointer, and maybe a few random crafts in between. One thing I never use is felt. I am completely not a felter, it is not my choice to use as a medium. However, for this project I decided that felt would be the best (and cheapest) option to make medals. Thus my project!

What I used.....
I had a lot of everything in my craft boxes from many years so I actually did not need to purchase much
- pins with stick on backings
- coins (leftover from an old bellydance costume)
- felt in a variety of colors
- scissors
- glue- I used fabric fusion
- needle/thread that match your felt colors

First I made a template out of a piece of paper that I thought looked like a good size for a medal. I pinned it to the felt and cut it out.

I added a small piece of an additional color and glued it to the first piece.

I decided this was a good template and good size so I used these measurements (which wound up being wrong but I used them anyways). so I used my rotary cutter and my nifty ruler to cut out more of them.

Cut, cut, cut with more colors.

Next I used what I had and made a bunch of the ribbon portions.

Now we need to give them a point. Again I used my quilter's ruler/guide to help me out. So easy with a rotary cutter.

Do that for the rest of the ribbons.

Next time to add the coins. Just using simple needle and thread, I tacked right at the bottom of the ribbon part.

Take your needle from the backside while holding the coin

Add your coin and make sure it faces front. Put the needle down through the front of the ribbon, just a little up from where you want the coin to hang.

Repeat a few more timse to secure the coin and tie off in the back. Here is what one looked like!

Now we are ready to add pin backs to our medals! I used the sticky back pins but added glue b/c I don't trust that adhesive!

Place on the top of the ribbon. Here are all my pins waiting while the glue dries!

Done! Here are my end pins together!

Ok I don't have a final picture of the costume yet since we are not showing the costume yet (plus it isn't done) but stay tuned!! It will be posted soon! :)

But here are 3 of them on a jacket to see how they would look!

I probably spent a total of $1. Not bad huh? Perfect for your military hero, veteran, captain, or medaled person's costume for halloween! :)

I can't wait for halloween to be done and over with! So busy with costumes, I need to get my refashions sewn and posted too! After this weekend, things will be back to normal. I can't wait!

XOXOXOXO,
Lauren