Why I love hardware stores (and you should too)

Let me start off by saying that, in my opinion, craft stores trump all other stores. The amount of potential in a craft store is overwhelming. I can look at the most minuscule little item and think of a zillion and one ways to turn it into something fun… which is why I go in for one item, and leave three hours later with a cartful.

But that’s to be expected, right? I write a sewing blog, I’m pretty open about my love for crayons and I had to pick my roommate up off the floor when she first saw my colossal sticker collection. Of course I love craft stores.

But I don’t exactly fall into the typical “hardware store” demographic.

I don't wear a tool belt. Or plaid.

I’m not sure when my opinion about hardware stores changed. I remember being dragged to the hardware store throughout my childhood and thinking it was the worst shopping trip ever. My brother and I found solace in the doorbell section… lots of buttons to push, both literally and figuratively.

The other day, I went to the hardware store for a mop (they have the best section of cleaning supplies!) and I was reminded how much I’ve grown to love hardware stores. They’re just intensified versions of craft stores. The difference is that the floor is a lot dirtier, the supplies is pretty heavy and the tools and chemicals in there might kill you if used improperly (whereas the hot glue gun at the craft store? Just a minor burn, people).

But really, the differences aren’t important. The bottom line is that both stores are exploding with potential. A bunch of people might buy the exact same item and use it in a different way, for a different reason or with different results.

See what I mean?

Toni at Sugar Tart Crafts uses washers and bolts wrapped in ribbon as pattern weights! Brilliant.

Crafters go cuckoo for paint chips... check out this amazing paint chip gift box and bow from Style with a Smile TV.

Of course, every great playhouse starts with PVC pipes... including this playhouse from PVCplans.com.

Whenever I walk into  a hardware store, I wish I had the ability to build something amazing.  Remember Amy Wynn Pastor on Trading Spaces, circa early-2000′s? She was an awesome example of girl-power, and always executed the most brilliant ideas.

Amy Wynn Pastor

So if I woke up with magical carpentry skills, what would be the first thing I’d want to build?

I think I’d like to start with this treehouse. What do you think?

Coming soon to my backyard: from the book New Treehouses of the World by Pete Nelson.

Countdown to (sewing) fun!

A big thank you to all of my family, friends and blogosphere buddies who reached out to make my birthday magical this week. From Tinker Bell cupcakes  by day to an artsy-crafty painting party by night, it was a truly wonderful birthday and I wouldn’t change a thing! I’m being completely truthful when I say it’s the best birthday I’ve had in years.

I finally got a chance to open some gifts last night, and I have two exciting sewing books to add to my collection! I talked about one book, Fabric-by-Fabric One Yard Wonders, in a blog post a few weeks back. The second book is called Countdown Calendars and just came out last July.

Countdown Calendars: 24 stitched projects to celebrate any date!

I first discovered the project shown on the cover  - a birthday countdown calendar – about two years ago when I was thinking about buying a sewing machine. It was a finished project listed for sale on Etsy, not a pattern, so I saved a photo for inspiration.

It’s such a fun concept – just add a fabric candle to the birthday cake on the wall hanging each day leading up to your birthday! Advent calendars were always a big deal in my house around Christmastime, and I know I would have loved this birthday calendar if we’d had one in our family.

I can already imagine an infinite number of color combinations in my head and can’t wait to give this a try. It would make a great gift for all of my friends who are exploding my social media newsfeeds with photos of their new babies! Plus – the book has lots of other fun countdown calendar ideas too, including a Christmas advent calendar.

Happy counting! Not gonna lie – all of this talk about countdowns and I can’t get the Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade music from Disney’s Hollywood Studios out of my head… Five, four, three, two, FUN!

Do the sewing touchdown dance

Even though it still feels like summer here in Florida, football season has officially arrived! Although I’m not a die-hard football fan, I grew up hearing my dad’s Chicago Bears games in the background every Sunday and the sound of a football game on TV still makes me feel incredibly nostalgic.

When I see Chicago Bears fabric stocked on store shelf here in Central Florida, I can’t help but stop in my tracks. Living across the country from my hometown, it’s a rarity to see my team of choice! But licensed fabric is expensive and I’ve never had any specific NFL-ish projects in mind, so I’ve always passed it up.

That is, until recently, when I saw a treasure trove of Chicago Bears fleece in the remnants bin… two remnants that were each just one inch short of a full yard. I almost did a touchdown dance right there in the fabric store. I couldn’t pass up these Chicago Bears gems for 50 percent off!

SCORE.

But what are the most relevant uses for NFL fabric? After some Google searching fun, here are some free tutorials for projects that might shine even brighter with some licensed team fabric – both fleece and non-fleece projects!

Photo and tutorial courtesy of Sew4Home.com

Never lose your remote again with this handy couch caddy! Click here for the free couch caddy tutorial at Sew4Home. (Note: this tutorial technically calls for home decor weight fabrics. Since most licensed fabrics aren’t home decor weight, you may have to get creative with heavy interfacing.)

Photo and tutorial courtesy of Sew4Home.com

Follow along: Football games on Sunday afternoons >> Sunday afternoons are lazy >> lazy Sunday afternoons call for pajama pants. Enough said. Click here for the free comfy PJ pants tutorial at Sew4Home!

Snuggie, Slanket, Snuglet... whatever! Photo and tutorial courtesy of SissonFamily.com.

If pajama pants just aren’t lazy enough, how about a tutorial for a knock-off Snuggie - a.k.a. “Snuglet?” Yes, please! Click here for a free “Snuglet” tutorial from SissonFamily.com!

Photo and tutorial courtesy of Your Homebased Mom.

I’ve had fabric pendants on my sewing to-do list for awhile, but I only had celebratory birthday pendants in mind. A fabric pendant made with team fabrics (mixed with color coordinating calico prints) would be really fun for Super Bowl parties, etc! Click here for the free fabric pendant tutorial at Your Homebased Mom.

Photos and tutorial courtesy of From an Igloo

Gotta dress warm for football games up north! I love both of these fun fleece hat tutorials – but they’re designed for children, so be sure to re-size accordingly. Click here for the free winter hat tutorial at From An Igloo! (PS – there are free scarf and mitten tutorials all over the internet, as well!)

Photo and tutorial courtesy of Sew Mama Sew and Fishsticks Designs.

This tutorial is so amazing it’s ridiculous – a stadium blanket that can be toted around in a bag that doubles as a bleacher cushion – and can be made using old t-shirts. BRILLIANT. Click here for the free stadium blanket and cushion bag tutorial from Sew Mama Sew and Fishsticks Designs!

Well, I’m off to TACKLE some studying… ha ha ha.

Any other fun ideas for using NFL fabric?

SEW you want to go to school?

Tis the season of PB&J, new shoes and a fresh box of crayons – back-to-school! And while shopping for brand new school supplies is one of my favorite things in the world, I have not be able to personally celebrate the back-to-school season in many years. I tend to live vicariously through my friends who are teachers until summertime rolls around – and then I want nothing to do with my teacher-friends since they don’t have to work and I don’t want to hear about it!

Recently, Joe, a dear friend and fifth grade teacher, sent me this photo from the One Stitch Two Stitch blog and said, “If you were a teacher, this is what your bulletin board would look like!”

Click the photo to read more about this bulletin board at the One Stitch Two Stitch blog!

Oh, Joe. You know me SEW well!

Since I’m not a teacher, there is no bulletin-board decorating in my future. However, I’m happy to report that I personally celebrated the back-to-school season this year as I recently started the journey towards my MBA. Sadly, I didn’t need to buy any school supplies for my first day – apparently, there is no need for a box of crayons in grad school.

Regardless, I am appreciative that I am officially a part of the back-to-school season at all this year. I hope that this magical sewing bulletin board inspires my teacher pals. I’d love to see photos if you create a sewing theme on your boards!

Happy 2011-2012 school year! Let the learning begin.

Sunny Summer Sewing Projects

It’s summer! And unlike most people, I love summers here in Florida. I love spending scorching sunny days poolside with a good book and a LOT of sunblock! Lucky for me, the Florida summer lasts about six months instead of the standard three, so I don’t feel guilty spending some time inside crafting even when the sun is shining.

Of course, I plan on keeping my project list bright and summery. No plans for heavy quilts or winter projects! Check out some of these FREE (!!!) tutorials I’ve recently added to my summer project inspiration list:

Photos & tutorial courtesy of http://www.ikatbag.com

This adorable strawberry bag folds up into a tiny take-along strawberry when you’re not using it. Hello, Farmer’s Market! Click here for the free strawberry bag tutorial at ikatbag!

Photo and tutorial courtesy of obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com

What’s a day at the pool without a hooded towel? And these aren’t just for kids — I’m 27 and may or may not have hooded towels with Mickey ears folded up in my bathroom closet. Click here for the free hooded towel tutorial at Obsessively Stitching!

Photo and tutorial courtesy of alemonsqueezyhome.blogspot.com

Although these are usually advertised for carrying cloth diapers, wet bags are perfect for carrying damp swimsuits! Click here for the free wet bag tutorial at A Lemon Squeezy.

Photo and tutorial courtesy of punkinpattern.blogspot.com

This insulated picnic tote is perfect for keeping groceries cold on a sweltering summertime car ride home. I desperately need one of these! Click here for the free insulated tote tutorial at Punkin Patterns.

Photo and tutorial courtesy of noodle-head.com

Check out this quaint little bike bag for that special cyclist in your life. Click here for a free bike bag tutorial from noodlehead. 

Photos and tutorial courtesy of CraftBuds.com

Any picnic blanket is a nice-to-have item – but a tote bag picnic blanket is a must-have! Click here for a free picnic blanket tote tutorial at Craft Buds.

Photo and tutorial courtesy of make-it-do.com

This garden apron is so cute that I don’t think I could bear to get it dirty! Click here for a free garden apron tutorial at Make it Do. 

Photo and tutorial courtesy of purlbee.com

Just look at these giant strawberry pillows. Honestly. Have you ever seen anything more magical? I’m in awe. I just love these. Click here for the free strawberry pillow sewing tutorial from The Purl Bee. 

Believe it or not, these projects are just the tip of the iceberg. I found tons of inspirational summer sewing tutorials out floating around the internet – it was really hard to narrow down my favorites!

What’s on your craft list this summer?

Flashback Friday: Viewmaster Pouch

Photo and tutorial compliments of LiberateCreativity.com

Simply amazing. What else is there to say? Click here to get the free ViewMaster pouch tutorial at LiberateCreativity.com. 

Don’t judge a prom dress by its seamstress…

Sewing is for old people. Or at least, that’s what I’m often told. It’s the battle I prepare myself for every time I tell someone that I’m learning to sew and excited about it. I still remember the looks on my friends’ faces last year when I told them I was thinking about buying a sewing machine… yikes!

The “blogosphere” and internet world is running rampant with young sewers to whom I owe much credit for inspiring me to sew in the first place. And reality shows like Project Runway have definitely lent a helping hand in putting sewing in the spotlight. But I still get excited when I stumble across supporting evidence that young people enjoy sewing too.

So… I can’t help but love the JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores’ Own Your Look Prom Contest, which encourages teenagers to make their own prom garment and accessory for a chance to win up to $50,000. Some of the garments that these teens come up with are truly phenomenal. The contest rules state that “the student entrant must make the garment and accessory with little or no assistance from others,” but sometimes I have to wonder how exactly that is regulated. Regardless, I put good faith in these teenagers because it’s more fun than worrying about the rules!

I love looking at the previous years’ winners as well as the 2011 entries. Check out some of these stunning prom dresses, which are only a small sampling of the entries available for viewing on the web site. I’m looking forward to finding out who wins this year!

I love the criss-cross straps on this one!

The texture of the skirt is so intriguing... I want to touch it!

Reminds me of a pink version of Giselle's blue curtain dress in "Enchanted!"

I really enjoy the way the swirl was incorporated into the skirt.

Teenagers these days are classier than I ever was!

I want to see this shimmery fabric up close!

Simply stunning... maybe a little TOO stunning? What do you think?

Inspiration Station!

I’ve lived with roommates my entire adult life, so I’m a long way from my dream home. What’s my dream home? Who knows. I couldn’t tell you a thing about it, other than this: It will have a generous space devoted to crafting.

I can’t even fathom a timeline when said room might actually take shape, but I dream about it anyway. Out of curiosity, I started browsing the internet to see what other people’s craft spaces looked like. I was blown away by the creativity that went into these spectacular sanctuaries. But really, I shouldn’t have been surprised that innovative people create innovative workspaces!

When the time comes, I want to whip out my craft room blueprints and make my dreams a reality. I need to be ready! So I created an inspiration board to show how I imagine my craft space.

(Source: I Google-imaged all of these and lost track of where they came from, so leave a comment and I will give you credit if your photo is in the mix!)

I want shelves upon shelves of see-through storage with colorful containers and tidy labels. I want countertops that stretch on for miles. I want racks hung up in rows with rainbows of ribbons and threads spilling down the wall. I want a sunshiney space where time stands still and seam rippers are never touched. I would appreciate enough floorspace for victory cartwheels and craft parties with friends. And in a dream world, I would top it off with one of those ridiculously priced but RIDICULOUSLY PERFECT pink or green desk chairs from Pottery Barn.

But at the center of it all will be sewing, crafting, creating… because that’s what it’s all about!

Kitchen camping? Yes, please!

In a few weeks, I’ll be spending a weekend camping out under the stars. It’s a trip I look forward to every year, although this year will be extra special because I actually own a tent! I usually have to rent or borrow, but this year I had a very lovely tent with my name on it under the Christmas tree!

While starting to prepare for my camping trip, I was reminded of this amazing sewing project I once stumbled across on the Obsessively Stitching blog – a play tent for kids, made to fit over a kitchen table, using a set of sheets and some PVC piping.

(Click here to redirect to the Obsessively Stitching blog for a full tutorial!)

WOW. Talk about inspiration! Is this not the coolest thing you’ve ever seen? What an amazing mom. She even created a drawstring bag out of one of the pillowcases to store the tent.

I’m still some years away from having kids, but I couldn’t help tucking this tutorial away in my files knowing that I’d like to revisit it again someday!

Aren’t you just dying to hang out in that tent for a bit while your mom cooks dinner? Yes, please!