Smiles and Sunshine!

February 27, 2008

Tiny Dotee Doll

Filed under: Dotee Dolls, Flckr, sewing — smilesandsunshine @ 10:03 pm
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Black and white polka dotted dottee with red accents

Black and white polka dotted dottee with red accents

I couldn’t help it. I used a scrap from the lady bug doll and make a little dotee doll. It’s like a baby. If you want to adopt it, you can join this group: http://flickr.com/groups/620400@N25/pool/

I used a cotton scrap, some polyester batting, embroidery floss, and beads. Oh, and that is another sculpty molded face. I used a red ink pen and water to give it a pink wash. Then I super-glued it in place.

Smiles!

Here is the address for Dot’s blog: http://dotslifeandart.blogspot.com She is the originator of the dotee doll.

Update 4/3/08: This doll was adopted!

Speed Sewing–Make a handbag in three minutes

Filed under: Friday Videos, You Tube, sewing — smilesandsunshine @ 8:46 pm
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So, I know I usually post videos on Fridays.  But I really wish it was Friday.  Does that count?

 Here’s a fun one I found on YouTube of Speed Sewing.  It was fun watching a bag made in three minutes.  Plus, for all of you green people out there, you might want to know that she reused some clothing to make the bag.

 Enjoy!

LadyBug Dotee Doll

I was talking to a lady on Swap-Bot named Ladybug. We decided to do a private swap where we would send Dotee Dolls to each other. Since I’ve been on a big Dotee Doll kick lately, I thought it would be fun to make another one—just for her.

Well, when I was in Washington buy some fabric for my brother’s Wisteria Wedding Quilt, I “spotted” this ladybug fabric. I knew I had to grab a few inches for my doll.

Here is the Dotee doll. She was about 3” long without the tail and yarn loop for hanging. The face is one I got from Cindy (http://cindyiscrafty.wordpress.com/). At first I tried to sew it on, but it cracked where I stuck my needle through it. So I used Krazy glue instead. I added some hair to cover up her skull fracture.

Do you like her? I think Ladybug will. The doll she sent me is so special! It has music notes, a quilt, and a little reader. Since I am a quilting, singing, teacher it is perfect for me! Thanks Ladybug!

swapbot-019.jpg

Here is the address for Dot’s blog: http://dotslifeandart.blogspot.com

She is the originator of the dotee doll.

February 24, 2008

Wisteria Wedding Quilt


I have started work on my brother’s wedding quilt. Well, it will be his wedding quilt if it turns out how I want to. I am very picky when it comes to making wedding quilts. (Just ask my mother, grandmother, or husband).

The plans for this quilt are to use light, medium, and dark shades of green, lavendar, brown, and gold. The colors are chosen because my brother proposed to his girlfriend under a Wisteria Vine in Spain.

I am using Swap-bot, Freecycle, and friends to collect cotton fabric for the quilt. Because of my goal of only have 10 squares of each print, I only need an 1/8 of a yard or a fat quarter of each fabric. In all, I will need twelve hundred 3.5″ squares.

The fabrics you see in the picture are from JoAnns (so I could start with a selected pallet, and from my friend, F-A. I have yet to cut the fabrics I recieved from Cindy from Freecycle.

As you can see, it will be a lot of work. But my brother and his future wife are worth it.

My Interview with Aesthetic Onion

Filed under: Etsy, Family, Websites, sewing — smilesandsunshine @ 2:16 pm
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Tea Towels Gift Set

Originally uploaded by the aesthetic onion

Aesthetic Onion is my younger sister. She works as an in-house graphic designer in Omaha, Nebraska, skillfully manages her Etsy shop, and frequently updates her blog at http://www.AestheticOnion.com.

I’ve interviewed some other Etsians, and now it is her turn. Enjoy!

When do you first remember being a crafting artist?

I feel like maybe crafting runs in our blood, I remember Great Grandma crocheting her bread bags into doormats and making her own fruit leather. In fact, I remember plotting out how we were going to build our own mini golf course in Grandma’s back yard and making race tracks and ramps for our matchbox cars out of cardboard boxes.

What is your favorite craft to make for Etsy?

Right now I’m enjoying making pincushions for my shop. I am having a lot of fun paring up vintage fabrics with different buttons and ribbons.

What do you find yourself wanting to buy on Etsy?

I like to find ribbons and buttons and vintage fabrics on etsy. But I also love unique handmade goods both for myself and as gifts to friends. I recently bought a scrabble pendant necklace from littleputbooks and an apron pattern from montessoribyhand. I am also seriously contemplating a poster from freebananas.

What advice would you give to new people starting to sell their products online?

Patience. Take great pictures, make mutiples and be prepared to wait. Don’t expect to get a big return all at once. Etsy has so many shops, that it may take a little while for people to find yours. Just make sure you love what you are making and wait for the right buyer to find it.

Is there anything else you would like to say to my blog readers?

Swapping is a great way to experiment with a new product. When I was playing with my min-pincushion idea, I actually made a couple that fit within some swaps I was in. These weren’t exactly like the ones I settled on to make for my shop, but it gave me a chance to see how people reacted to them and to play with the pattern before settling on my current item.

Thanks, Sis!

Freedom to Read

Filed under: Books, Websites — smilesandsunshine @ 2:08 pm
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Freedom to Read Week 2008

Canada is celebrating their freedom to read this week.  What are you reading?

February 23, 2008

How to Knit Video

Filed under: Etsy — smilesandsunshine @ 10:12 pm
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This is the knit stitch that I’ve been working on.  I like the poem Kelsey Innis shared on this DIY video:

In the front door,

And out the back,

Around the flagpole,

And up jumps jack!

This video is very helpful.  I see what I was doing wrong!  When I get the hang of it, I’ll post another picture.

My first try at knitting


I went to visit my friend, Eye Candy Studio, in Walla Walla, Washington. (Don’t you just love how that city sounds?) We had a great time eating southern comfort food, gardening, going to a yarn store, and browsing a crafter’s favorite–JoAnn Fabrics.

I picked up my first grown-up pair of knitting needles and a skein of Red Heart yarn. The colorway is called Woodsy, if you’re curious. I adore the colors in it. My friend taught me how to knit. Well, I started the learning process. But as you can see from the picture, I still need a bit of practice.

I’m going to go searching on Expert Village to see if I can find a good DIY video. If you know of one, please comment below so I can watch it. I need all the help I can get.

Also, when I was in Walla, Walla, I picked up some fabric from a fellow crafter on FreeCycle. I really appreciate it! Thanks, Cindy! I’m going to use it to make my Wisteria Wedding Quilt for my brother. (I will post more about that later!)

Smiles,
Shauna

PS: Mom did try to teach me as a kid. It just didn’t stick. You were a good Mom. No worries.

February 21, 2008

Taleri Was the Winner!

Filed under: Etsy — smilesandsunshine @ 9:51 pm
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I asked my husband to pick a number between one and nine. His number was 3! Congratulations, Taleri!

For your enjoyment, here was Taleri’s comment! She wins the lovely earrings!

3 Taleri

Choices, choices I have two that I really like.
This: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8452146
and this: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9499831

I like the “I love dogs” earrings because they are simple, to-the-point (much like out furry friends themselves), and classy. They are also unique. It is easy to find the common paw-print earrings (which could easily be mistaken for those of that other furry critter, the cat), bone earrings or food bowl earrings, it is much harder to find pretty earrings that will work with your lifestyle. These can be worn to work (when wearing plastic food bowls in your ears wouldn’t be acceptable) or at a casual event.

The red glass earrings are classic. From the photograph, it appears that the glass will pick up the tone of the colors around it, so these would go well with brown, green or black clothing. They could easily be dressed up or down.

Given that both earrings are so versatile, the choice is a hard one. My favorite would have to be the “I Love Dogs” earrings as I can resist other pretty items, but I can never resist a puppy.

February 20, 2008

Did You Win the Earrings?

Filed under: Etsy — smilesandsunshine @ 10:23 pm
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This post is a teaser!  My husband has selected a winner randomly from those who left comments.  But I’m not telling you who won until tomorrow!

 He he heeeee!

 :)

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