April Crafters Update (oops, overdue!)

[Rosie_0801]

I forgot to post this at the end of last month and have been offline for a few days! Oops! But no wonder I forgot, I have done no craft this month other than making some Samhain candles, and I didn't get decent photos because the camera conked out. :glare: They turned out nicely though. I made two plain, one orange and one purple, but I made the third a smidge fancier. A red candle, but I painted most of it brown except for a small patch, then poked it with a pin so the red bit looked like a strawberry. Hardly a professional job, but who needs professional at a time like that? :)

 

What have you girlies been up to?

[Jane in NC]

Your absence was noted by Onceuponatime who created a craft thread. But it appears that many of us were doing things other than crafting in April?

 

I'll try to post a picture today.

 

Jane

[Melissa in Australia]

:blushing:Sorry, I have no craft to report for this month.

 

Hay wait!

I did make a huge batch of soap from lard.

[PrincessMommy]

I guess I'll post here too. I made soap last month (and yesterday too!). Here's a photo of the two batches from April:

 

 

I got a new project on my loom for this month. I seriously thought I'd be done with it in a few days, but since the move my loom has been relegated to the basement. At the old house it was in our family room. It's just not the same and I'm trying to figure out where it will fit upstairs.

[Melissa in Australia]

I guess I'll post here too. I made soap last month (and yesterday too!). Here's a photo of the two batches from April:

 

 

I got a new project on my loom for this month. I seriously thought I'd be done with it in a few days, but since the move my loom has been relegated to the basement. At the old house it was in our family room. It's just not the same and I'm trying to figure out where it will fit upstairs.

 

Your soap looks so beautiful.

Mine lookes like very rough looking creamy white soap. Because trace was taking so long ( stirring with a wooden spoon) that I started to read a book as I stirred, and didn't notice that the soap had passed trace and was firming up. I used a funnel with the very first mold ( individual yogurt tub). the second one I could still poor with a ladle, after that it was a mad rush of me scraping the soap out of the pot with a spatula and shoving/packing it down into the containers before it was set solid.

[PrincessMommy]

Melissa,

 

Please post pictures. I'm sure it's quite lovely.

 

Also, I do have one recommendation. A stick blender! It has revolutionized my soaping. I can get my soap to trace in 5-8 mins! It's wonderful. I usually go back and forth between the stick blender and a wisk - otherwise it would trace in about 3 min. and that's WAY too fast for me. I don't know about Australia, but here in the US I can buy one for about $20.

[Lady Florida.]

No pictures yet, but will try to post them tomorrow. I crocheted a tote, but I want to put a lining in it. I also made some dishcloths for my niece again. She loves them and wants more. Currently I'm working on a rug for just outside the porch door (inside the porch by the door that leads to the house).

 

I seem to be stuck on crochet, but have been itching to get my sewing machine out. Maybe I'll start looking for some summer sewing projects.

[Rosie_0801]

Your absence was noted by Onceuponatime who created a craft thread. But it appears that many of us were doing things other than crafting in April?

 

WHAT? I've been USURPED? :svengo:

 

Well that's nice. Someone noticed I was gone :D

 

 

I'm impressed by the soap making! I think that may be one of those things I own books for but will never do :P

 

I haven't been crafting this month because I've been getting enough sleep (mostly) so I've been cooking and cleaning my house. (Why can't those girls keep their decluttering threads to themselves? How can I get any reading or crafting done if I'm being distracted by housework?? :p) Jolly good of me, and all, but in the interests of laziness, I should like to share this blog I've been drooling over this morning: http://fishmousestitches.blogspot.com.au

It belongs to someone around here, but I forget who! Gorgeous scenery photos, gorgeous stitching photos, book reviews of gorgeous stitching books; what more could a Rosie need on a Sunday morning?

[jar7709]

Jolly good of me, and all, but in the interests of laziness, I should like to share this blog I've been drooling over this morning: http://fishmousestitches.blogspot.com.au

It belongs to someone around here, but I forget who! Gorgeous scenery photos, gorgeous stitching photos, book reviews of gorgeous stitching books; what more could a Rosie need on a Sunday morning?

 

Rosie you are so kind! Thank you. That blog is sadly neglected ever since homeschooling kicked into full gear, but I really should get back to it.

[Rosie_0801]

Rosie you are so kind! Thank you. That blog is sadly neglected ever since homeschooling kicked into full gear, but I really should get back to it.

 

I've just subscribed to it, so you'd better! (Coz, like, the world revolves around me :p)

[Lab1]

In April I finished up Easter dresses for my girls

5 shirts for my 3 yr old , plus special 3 shirts for a niece and my sons birthday party.

4 rompers for my 20 month old. They match big brother.

Tulip dress for my dd2 to participate in a simple, cute pageant

2 tops for dd2

1 top for me, trying out a new Jalie pattern

Knit 3 pairs of new socks for ds2

Black out draperies for my room

Black out draperies and a cute matchinv topper for dds room.

 

Its been quite the month! I still have lots to do! I do feel better about my productivity after writing it all down.

 

Oh I also made a romper and stenciled on it for my bffs baby.

[Jane in NC]

In April I finished up Easter dresses for my girls

5 shirts for my 3 yr old , plus special 3 shirts for a niece and my sons birthday party.

4 rompers for my 20 month old. They match big brother.

Tulip dress for my dd2 to participate in a simple, cute pageant

2 tops for dd2

1 top for me, trying out a new Jalie pattern

Knit 3 pairs of new socks for ds2

Black out draperies for my room

Black out draperies and a cute matchinv topper for dds room.

 

Its been quite the month! I still have lots to do! I do feel better about my productivity after writing it all down.

 

Oh I also made a romper and stenciled on it for my bffs baby.

 

Wow! You win the productivity award! We love to see pictures though--says the woman who has yet to post her April photo.

[Lab1]

I went and got pics off my camera. I don't have pics yet of everything, but I do have pics of some!

Kids dressed up for Easter. I made the boys outfits in March

 

Here are some of the T-shirts I've made for DS1:

There is a paw print painted on the sleeve. I recently learned to freezer paper stencil!

Back of the guitar shirt. I made the girls tops too, but not in April.

Bad pic of the two birthday kids. My niece is 3 days younger then my son, so we combined their birthday parties. They had a dinosaur party. I was happy with now my nieces shirt turned out. I slashed the sleeve pattern to make it look a little more girly, then did a rolled hem and shirred it!

 

Romper for my bffs little girl. My son is modeling for me!

 

My 20 month old in his giraffe romper. Its a freezer paper stencil and he loves it!

 

More in the next post...

[Lab1]

Continuation as I'm limited to 8 pics per post.

 

Really bad pic of my oldest holding the youngest. He is wearing his fun rainbow yarn wool socks! All 3 pair are identical. For my boys I buy a 100gm skein and knit socks until its used up. Then I don't have to match socks!

My little one has other rompers too. I just don't have pics yet of them!

 

DD2 in one of her new tops. It has a squarish neckline, but you can't see it well as she is pretending to be eaten by a shark!

 

Some pics I took after the simple pageant that my DD2 begged to be in. I said yes just for the pics of her dressed up cute. I also made the hair garland. The tulips and other flowers were ones my mom bought before her death a few yrs ago. It made it very special to DD2! We designed the dress together.

 

Those are all the fun things I have pics of. I really need to be better about taking pics of my projects! Its been a cold April, so the kids haven't been able to wear their new clothes much. Of course I don't have a pic of me in my new top as I'm always behind the camera. I wore it to the pageant though!

[Jpoy85]

Im not that crafty :(

 

Whats Freezer Paper Stencil?

[Lab1]

Im not that crafty :(

 

Whats Freezer Paper Stencil?

 

Its so fun and easy! You use regular freezer paper from the store. Simply trace a design onto the paper. Cut it out with a craft knife. Iron it onto the fabric/shirt/whatever you want. Paint with a foam brush with fabric paint so it washes well. After it is dry, peel off the freezer paper and I heat set the paint, They have held up well and my kids love to paint the design. Its a fun, easy and inexpensive craft.

 

Here is a pic of my DH that I made for St. Patricks day. He loves it! I photocopied the kids hands and traced them onto the freezer paper.

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Its so fun and easy! You use regular freezer paper from the store. Simply trace a design onto the paper. Cut it out with a craft knife. Iron it onto the fabric/shirt/whatever you want. Paint with a foam brush with fabric paint so it washes well. After it is dry, peel off the freezer paper and I heat set the paint, They have held up well and my kids love to paint the design. Its a fun, easy and inexpensive craft.

 

Here is a pic of my DH that I made for St. Patricks day. He loves it! I photocopied the kids hands and traced them onto the freezer paper.

 

 

OK - probably a silly question but do you cut out the hands and paint the part that shows up white? So the part you iron on is the part that goes over the green shirt?

[Rosie_0801]

Skills + Productivity! I can't cope :svengo:

 

 

 

Good work!!!

[Lab1]

OK - probably a silly question but do you cut out the hands and paint the part that shows up white? So the part you iron on is the part that goes over the green shirt?

 

You cut the hands out and then use the negative or whole sheet to iron it on. I guess you could use the cut out pieces if you wanted a fun design that looked like a cave painting where they blew paint on their hands to show the outline.

 

Here is a tutorial: http://www.stayathomeartist.com/2011/07/stencil-with-freezer-paper-harry-potter.html

 

I hope that is allowed! I'm still new and don't know all the ins and outs of posting yet. I did exactly like the tutorial, except I waited until it was dry to peel off the paper. For light colors on dark fabric, you need multiple layers of paint with drying time in between! For my DH's shirt I just did one layer so it would look sort of washed out and aged. He wears his shirt tons and it looks the same after at least 8 washings so far.

[Jane in NC]

You cut the hands out and then use the negative or whole sheet to iron it on. I guess you could use the cut out pieces if you wanted a fun design that looked like a cave painting where they blew paint on their hands to show the outline.

 

Here is a tutorial: http://www.stayathomeartist.com/2011/07/stencil-with-freezer-paper-harry-potter.html

 

I hope that is allowed! I'm still new and don't know all the ins and outs of posting yet. I did exactly like the tutorial, except I waited until it was dry to peel off the paper. For light colors on dark fabric, you need multiple layers of paint with drying time in between! For my DH's shirt I just did one layer so it would look sort of washed out and aged. He wears his shirt tons and it looks the same after at least 8 washings so far.

 

Great link! My son has done freezer paper stencils before with great results.

 

And welcome aboard, Lab! Lovely work!

[PrincessMommy]

Wow! You have been productive AND creative Lab1. Great work.

[Jpoy85]

You cut the hands out and then use the negative or whole sheet to iron it on. I guess you could use the cut out pieces if you wanted a fun design that looked like a cave painting where they blew paint on their hands to show the outline.

 

Here is a tutorial: http://www.stayathomeartist.com/2011/07/stencil-with-freezer-paper-harry-potter.html

 

I hope that is allowed! I'm still new and don't know all the ins and outs of posting yet. I did exactly like the tutorial, except I waited until it was dry to peel off the paper. For light colors on dark fabric, you need multiple layers of paint with drying time in between! For my DH's shirt I just did one layer so it would look sort of washed out and aged. He wears his shirt tons and it looks the same after at least 8 washings so far.

 

Thats pretty cool!!!! Ive been wanting to make us Homeschool shirts and now I can :)

[Lab1]

Thats pretty cool!!!! Ive been wanting to make us Homeschool shirts and now I can :)

 

I've been toying with the same idea, but haven't come up with the right design yet. You can get fabric medium to mix with regular cheap paint if you can't find the right shade.

 

You can also do freehand painting. The dirt mound on the sprout romper was painted after the painted stencil was dry and the paper peeled off.

[laughing lioness]

Skills + Productivity! I can't cope :svengo:

 

Good work!!!

:iagree:Great stuff on here!

 

I have nuthin' to share this month but my rocking out dh is tiling our bathroom and it is turning out beautiful. I have never figured out how to post pictures on the boards but I have some here.

We'lll soon have a shower on the 2nd floor (WOOT!). It's been 1 1/2 yrs of living back here that we've trekked to the basement for a shower. Can't wait to go from bedroom to bathroon without stairs in between :001_smile:

[AimeeM]

[Lab1]

 

Beautiful! Is it for your new baby?

[Lab1]

:iagree:Great stuff on here!

 

I have nuthin' to share this month but my rocking out dh is tiling our bathroom and it is turning out beautiful. I have never figured out how to post pictures on the boards but I have some here.

We'lll soon have a shower on the 2nd floor (WOOT!). It's been 1 1/2 yrs of living back here that we've trekked to the basement for a shower. Can't wait to go from bedroom to bathroon without stairs in between :001_smile:

 

Its coming along great! That looks like a lot of work!

[AimeeM]

Beautiful! Is it for your new baby?

Yes, lol. Yet another one. My other kids were jipped - this new little one has three handmade blankets thus far... and more to come, I'm sure.

[laughing lioness]

Its coming along great! That looks like a lot of work!

 

It took 6 weeks working on week-ends to just get it measured, tile cut and laid. It was a huge job. We still have to grout and get the shower door on but we are almost there :001_smile:

 

lab1- that blanket is absolutly gorgeous!! LOVE the color and the pattern!

[PrincessMommy]

Aimee what a beautiful baby blanket.

[KatieJ]

I have been working on redoing our sunporch. I have the cushions recovered for the sofa and chair. ( there are 8 cushions) This weekend DH and I got the chairs for the table finished. He spray painted them and then we recovered the cushions. We stil have to paint the sofa and chair and the ceiling and I have pillows to sew. I will post pictures when it is all done.....hopefully by the end of this month.

[KatieJ]

 

 

Its beautiful! Can you share the pattern! No new grandbabies due here, but I like to rry new patterns with each one.

[laughing lioness]

I have been working on redoing our sunporch. I have the cushions recovered for the sofa and chair. ( there are 8 cushions) This weekend DH and I got the chairs for the table finished. He spray painted them and then we recovered the cushions. We stil have to paint the sofa and chair and the ceiling and I have pillows to sew. I will post pictures when it is all done.....hopefully by the end of this month.

 

I love porches!