BFF Link Party #3 and BFF Midwestern Sewing Girl

Yay! It’s Friday and time for Blog Feature Friday and a party with all my BFFs. This week, if you haven’t met her, I’d like to introduce you to Maggie from her blog Midwestern Sewing Girl!

Maggie is a sweetheart and a talented crafter. As her name implies, she sews but she does tons more! (And I’m envious of her sewing skills because let’s just say Mom was right and I didn’t listen!)
Look at this gorgeous ruffle pillow! LOVE IT:

And she’s got a tute ( tutorial) for it right here (and she even had a giveaway but it’s closed now ….sad face)
You may have seen this project that was featured several places…Nest Specimen Art:

I think having the eggs in just one nest makes the whole thing pop!
And even though a trip around the world is NO where in my future. Maggie takes us on a virtual one with this amazing lampshade she did!

SO cool and she downloaded the graphics for this from The Graphics Fairy. And I have to show this cute Summery pillow she just made

How sweet is this? Makes you want to go out and ride your bike!Much much MUCH more to see over at Maggie’s place so you will have to hop over and pay her a visit.

Now time to PARTY! Let’s see what everyone’s been up to. I know there are lots of graduation, end of year teacher, Father’s day ideas popping up. Link ‘em! Memorial Day celebration  ideas and recipes ( you know I’m going to say especially chocolate!) Link ‘em! Re-fab’d, upcycled, re-purposed. Link ‘em! Just no Etsy shops or advertising please and please link to your specific blog post and not your main blog page!

Graduation Printables

YIKES! I’m in full on “can’t believe my son graduates from high school in less than a month” panic mode! OK maybe not total panic (close) , but lots to do!
Thank goodness for printables because they are an easy way to decorate and you can  incorporate themes into holidays and other celebrations. I made a couple that I’ll be using and thought I’d share! 

I stuck with black and white since there are an infinite number of graduation color combos. I’m going to mat these using my son’s HS colors.  I’ve been using this quote on different items. The whole thing is:

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.

Henry David Thoreau

To use, click on the printable, and right click to save as.

Linking Up At: 

BFF Open House #2 Wrap Up

Thanks everyone who linked up to my 2nd weekly link party! Despite Blogger’s mid-week hiccup, there were some great projects linked up. Here are just a few highlights :

Carolyn from her blog homework, transformed humble cans into these planters with a gorgeous patina finish.

I love this stunning harlequin paint job and transformation from Tracy at Tracy’s Trinkets and Treasures.

Look at this fun necklace that Kellianne from Tinkeranniebelle made for her aunt for Mother’s Day!

And Jocelyn from InsideBruCrewLife didn’t disappoint with these:

Peanut M&M Cupcakes! YUM!  Please feel free to pick up a “featured” button from my sidebar.

And the BFF who won the “Tag You’re It” set of chocolatey tags…..

is:

Evelene  S! I hope to see you all back again this Friday! Have a great week!

Craft Hope Bracelets

I was cruising along the internet the other day and came across a post that now I can’t remember where (grrrrr I hate it when that happens!) about bracelets for an organization called Craft Hope. If you’re not familiar with them:

Craft Hope is a love inspired project designed to share handmade crafts with those who need them.  It is our hope to combine our love for crafting and desire to help others into a project to make a difference around the world.

Hmmm…love making jewelry….there’s a need for bracelets…for such a good cause…check, check, and check.

The bracelets are being collected to be given out to orphans in Russia and the kids range in age from infants to teens. I found these fun beads at Michaels, along with some stretch cord:

I liked the iridescence of these beads and since I don’t often get to get my girl on, I went with “girly” colors and shapes…hearts, butterflies etc. Also since my nest is about to get emptied, I don’t often get to do “kids” crafts so double the fun.

I had actually never worked with stretch cord before. I know! But oh so easy and very fun and these went super fast. It was a perfect way to pass the time waiting for another project to dry.

So my fellow jewelry makers, if you would like to craft for a cause I can’t think of a better one. And for all of you out there who are talented sewers , Craft Hope has another project: Security Blankets for Tornado Survivors.

BFF Link Party#2: Tag…You’re It

Soooo…..the week kinda got away from me and I didn’t line up a blog to feature on “Blog Feature Friday”. And then Blogger went kerplunk.  But we’re still going to have the 2nd weekly “BFF” link party and guess what? You’re ALL BFFs this week! So since you are, let’s see what you’ve been up to.

Link up everything! Did you re-do a room or an accessory or a piece of furniture? Link it up! Did you make a gift or something fun for yourself? Link it up! Cards, scrapbooking, altered art, jewelry, décor, kids crafts etc. link it up! Recipes? Especially chocolate? Link them up! Just no advertising or Etsy stores please and please link directly to your project and not your main blog page. Easy peasy.
Oh and tag…you’re it! One of you will receive these:

A set of six tags, covered in yummy chocolatey papers with flower, pearl, and rhinestone frosting! Winner will be chosen at random on Monday. To be eligible, leave a comment! That’s it. Party On. You can grab the party button code from my sidebar!

Composition Book Supplies Journal

If you’ve read my blog for more than a minute, you know that I love to roam around Michaels, JoAnn’s and assorted other craft stores looking for nothing in particular and finding goodies. But, I also need to keep track of things I use regularly, and things I need for projects I want to try.  I love technology as much as anyone but sometimes you just need to go old school and have things written down in something you can carry with you. So I made a “Supplies Journal”.

This is hardly a new idea…altering composition books, but I’ll still show you what I did.

Started with your basic composition book…I pick these up around back to school time for next to nothing. Covered the front and back with Recollections “Batiked My Interest” Collection…this paper’s called Coconut. Source: Michaels…4 sheets for $1! I Mod Podged the paper on so it would really stick:

I covered the inside with a coordinating brown and cream paper and used the scraps of both papers for the cover, along with a rub-on of my initial, some Michaels $1 self adhesive metal bits, KandCo self adhesive vellum scrapbook borders, and one of these :

Added some coordinating leftover typewriter alphabet stickers to spell “Supplies” and then punched a hole in the front and back covers so I could thread ribbon to tie the journal together. You don’t have to. I just did. This is also the perfect place for me to keep my coupons when I go after those supplies I need!

Linking Up At: 

Ribbon Bookmarks

Remember I found all kinds of wonderful ribbon on my recent outing to the LA Fashion District? I bought them without knowing exactly what I’d use them for but since when does that stop us creative types? NEVER!
Enter “Country Living” with this idea: Charming Bookmarks

Velvet ribbon. I haz.  Charms…I haz them too but I also have a bunch o beads. Zing. Idea!
You need ribbon ( OK that’s obvious but…)

I cut mine about 10in. You will also need some of these which I found at Michaels:

and a pair of flat nose pliers:

You slide the ribbon clamp onto the end of the ribbon and then clamp it on with your pliers. These ribbon clamps have teeth that sink into your ribbon.

Once the clamps were on, I went to my bead stash and just started playing with different beads and findings. Some on beading wire, others on head pins. Attach to your clamp ends with jump rings.

Linking Up At: 

Blue Cricket Design Show and Tell