Category Archives: Random

Lots of Half Finished Work But Getting Organized

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So January isn’t over yet, which means there was still time to get regrouped for 2012.  Did a bit of knitting, not much sewing.  The sewing area was a disaster area – who was it that threw that bomb in there?  :)   So yesterday was moving “the room” day and getting some things organized and either thrown away, ready for eBay, or set aside to finish.  You’d be amazed at how much I threw out.  Many of you saw on Facebook how my new end of the family room looks so I can watch the TV that has more than basic cable on it.

This photo has four (4) projects that are knitted and ready for finishing into product.  I’m really LOVING the really large “swatches” of cabling.  But the deep purple piece on the left is going to hopefully be a stable in the store.  It will end up being an iPad envelope sleeve when it’s complete.

purple, blue/yellow, turquoise, green fleck

The turquoise and green fleck has fabrics matched up to them already to get sewing on.  When you ask?  Not sure – but keep watching.  Still not sure where to put all the interfacing types – it just seems the bed has always made a great spot for them!  LOL

Interfacings........ ugh

One of the nightstands is still piled high with coordinating fabrics – each with a purpose.  But where to put them?  I sure don’t have a clue!

Plethera of Fabrics

One of our cedar chests has come to rest in the spare bedroom jammed full of the beautiful yarns I’ve collected.  Someday, someday….

Cedar Chest FULL of Special Yarns

During all the organization of the ‘new’ area, I came across a lot of patterns for baby, toddler and kids clothing that I had every good intention of using.  So those have been divided up and once done here, I’m off to eBay to get them all listed and outta here! The spare bedroom closet is jammed packed with crafting things, half of which need to fly out the door also.  But another day for all that.  :)

And then there’s always the ironing pile………  Ha!  Happy Sunday everyone – and happy crafting.  Keep those ideas rolling.

Improvised iPad Cover

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Recycle and reuse – I’ve done this in the past, but this may be a good year to dig in a little deeper with the idea.  Saturday I completed the iPad cover that came from the sleeves of a beautiful ladies jacket.  The tote bag to go along with this, will be done at some time from the body of the jacket – it’s just waiting to be completed.

So I just wanted to share what the end result looks like with the silicone skin attached to the interior……

iPad cover closed

iPad cover open showing pocket and closure

The corduroy used for the inside lining really picked up all the little red pieces of ‘lint’ from when cutting the tapestry fabric, but hopefully the picture shows it cleaned up a bit.  :)

Happy crafting!  It’s Monday, so off to work I go…….

Kanzashi Flowers – Origami

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English: Amateur tsumami kanzashi representing...

I mentioned yesterday how I still love to hear the mailman outside – you just never know what goodies he might be bringing you!  We’ve been awaiting a shipment from Clotilde.com this week, and yesterday was the day it came and I am SUPER excited to try these two new tools:  Kanzashi Flower Makers by Clover.

 

Kanzashi Flower Makers

There is a large (pink 3″) and small (blue 2″) and they have NOT been opened because I know once I DO open them, I’ll want to play.  This looks to be somewhat like origami, which my brother got me educated and hooked on as a kid.  And yes, I still have all my original origami books that he gave me – they are treasures.

Have any of you ever worked with these before?  Is it really as easy as it all looks?  Will definitely keep you up to date when I get to open the package and try one out.  OOOOOO, can’t wait!

Oompa Loompas – Not Crafting

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CD Cover

So I happen to have the best job ever.  And this post has nothing to do with crafting or designing whatsoever.  So if that’s what you’re looking for, go ahead and check out the archive posts.  :)

While working my real day job, I am blessed to meet hundreds of people each week.  There’s opportunity to visit with some, get them to smile and make them at ease.  I totally adore the interactions, and seeing repeat patients come in is absolutely TOPS!  Which leads to always having some sort of story to tell and here is my FUN story of the week.  And yes, it has to do with Oompa Loompas.

As I was checking in a beautiful teenage set of twins, my focus was with their dad making sure I had all their information correct.  Off to the side, these two high school girls were mumbling and complaining about how embarrassed they were to be out in public – looking like a couple of Oompa Loompas!  Well, if you know me, I couldn’t leave that one alone so I engaged them in a conversation about “Why?”.  Come to find out they had been training for a local tanning salon and that morning they had a session on spray tanning.  Yep, they both had gotten themselves an over-the-top spray tan (if that’s the color you want to call it).  They were absolutely disgusted with how they looked, even though these were two very pretty young women.  Teenagers absolutely STILL rock my world – love ‘em.  Which leads me to my point….

It did my heart a tremendous amount of good to see that young people are still catching a classic movie here and there, such as the original Willy Wonka movie from the early 70′s.  Not everyone knows what an Oompa Loompa even is.  I agree that the Johnny Depp version was marvelous, even with its dark side, but the simplicity and in-your-face lessons of the original movie are still tops.  Grab a young person in your family and have them watch this with you – it’s just good stuff.  Re-familiarize yourself with those great Oompa Loompa songs….. (it will take you over to YouTube – can’t embed)

All you young folks, catch yourself a classic movie – there’s so much to enjoy out there!

Revising Thrift Store Tapestry Jacket

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After having a weekend of thrift store shopping, cleaning those items up and basically having no actual crafting mojo, this is all that was accomplished.  It’s not much and when I was working on the design it was feeling forced.  That means it’s time to stop.  I usually like to take a project and complete as much as possible when it gets started, but at least this little combo restyle is underway.

This started out as a ladies tapestry jacket with a zippered front.  I had cut one of the sleeves off the night before to show Bill just how much fabric there is in clothing that can be used for items.  Here it is with both sleeves cut off and splayed out to be re-cut into an iPad cover.

Ladies Tapestry Jacket (with zippered front)

And a close up of the beautiful fabric – it’s very lush and we both have really fallen in love with it.

Lush tapestry fabric

The sleeves are slowly turning into an iPad cover and here is how the closure looks.  It’s taken from the caps of the sleeves and shows that same shaping.  Velcro has been sewn underneath the flap.

Sleeve Cap Closure Flap

The lining to the iPad cover is really a soft gray corduroy which the picture doesn’t show real well, but trust me on that one.  :)   After this pic was taken it was time to get the hammer out and apply the 4 mega snaps to the inside lining and the silicone iPad skin so it can be removed when needed.

After showing Bill what little I accomplished, he kind of took a step back and said, “You’re going to have to keep this one – it’s VERY cool!”  Told him the handbag needs to get completed from the body of the jacket, then I’ll decide if it’s my style or needs to be listed in either Etsy or MySupaDupa Shop.  It will be a one of a kind combo package either way.

Keep checking in though!  There is never any creating on Tuesdays as that is my 12 hour day at work, but the rest of the week may hold some surprises.

Happy creating and thanks for stopping by!

MySupadupa.com

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For those who are looking for a new way to get your items out on the web to sell, check out MySupadupa.com!  I signed up for a storefront quite awhile ago and did not have time until today to get it set up.  And I actually have three (3) items up and listed.  Check it out, see if it possibly would fit YOUR needs!

The TygerLily on MySupadupa.com

Knitted journal cover on MySupadupa.com

Just For Fun And I Didn’t Break the Bank!

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With a new year comes new challenges and projects – is there any other way?  Didn’t think so.  :)   Of course there’s always going to be the hand knitted handbags happening around here, but the sewing room needed something a little different going on.  I have had an idea or three rolling around my head for a long time and yesterday, out of the blue, came an opportunity to stock up on items that can be upcycled in to new, useful and fun things to offer.

Those of you who follow me on Facebook probably saw all my excitement over thrift store finds yesterday.  Yes, I purchased 7, yes SEVEN men’s suit coats.  Bill was honestly intrigued by the idea mulling around in my head, but had to try on each suit coat, just to make sure HE couldn’t use them!  Bill and I are both short people, and finding a coat that doesn’t have arms down to our knees is always a challenge.  Hence, none of them fit him, all were too long.  But for TygerLily and Journal Junction, it was a relief!  Suiting fabrics are beautiful and professional.  It is just a perfect fit for the organizational side of our creations.

We challenged ourselves to come up with a professional type combo item, such as a matched set of something.  I found a perfect women’s tapestry jacket to upcycle for this project.  So Bill could wrap his own mind around how it would work with only a small women’s jacket, I showed him how to get more bang for our buck and started cutting it apart – just to show how much fabric is really IN a jacket!  You’d be surprised!!!

So before I go off and start getting some stuff done (like laundry), I wanted to share the photo of all the goodies purchased at two of our local thrift stores yesterday.  For the price of a movie for two and a large popcorn, this is what we ended up with…..

Future Handbags, Totes, iPad covers and Journal covers.......

There are hundreds of key chain rings in that little bag and under that is a box of FIVE vintage broaches that I found, which got polished up last night.  The stores obviously wanted to clear their racks, and I was more than happy to help them out.  I did sneak one summer sweater out of the group and put it aside for myself to actually wear.  tee hee

It’s time to write up an application to a crafting throwdown and enjoy one more cup of joe.  May you all have a wickedly fantastic day, and please keep checking in now that we’re back up and in the swing.

Blessings, my friends.

The Ultimate Challenge (and a free knitting pattern)

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While surfing around the web on Christmas, we came across the greatest and funnest  Ultimate Challenge ever!  Somewhere along the line, I have been blessed by being called “McGyver” and people ask me first when they are ready to throw something out if I could use it or make something out of it!  So here’s the deal………
Now Seeking America’s Most Talented Crafters!!!

Are you ready to show America your unique, creative skills?

Do your friends refer to you as the “MacGyver” of arts & crafts?

Can you create, design, build and implement visually stunning
and out-of-the-box creations on the fly?

A MAJOR CABLE NETWORK & the Executive Producers of “CUPCAKE
WARS” and “HALLOWEEN WARS” are seeking Arts & Crafts Designers
for a new competition show.

Each episode will feature Arts & Crafts competitors who battle
against each other for a $10,000 prize and an opportunity to
publicly showcase their craft masterpiece!

Casting Males & Females, (18 and over) with fun and upbeat
personalities that can think on their feet!!!

If this is you, we want to hear from you ASAP!
Email craftcasting@gmail.com the following information:

-Send us your full name & contact numbers
-Tell us what city you live in
-Tell us in a short paragraph about you and your specialty
-Pictures of you and samples of your work

Here is someone’s YouTube audition.  Don’t think I could actually do that.  But I could sure use some help writing up an audition email!!!  Any takers on that one?

Can’t leave without throwing in a free pattern.  Found this lovely thing this morning and will put it into my own library – it would be perfect on the front of a handmade purse.  Don’t ya think?

Click the photo and you’ll go directly to Berroco for the free pattern download.  ENJOY!

 

Happy Baby Time & Goodbyes

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It has not been a very productive weekend, but that’s okay.  Sometimes we have to sit back, and let the world roll along.  This was a weekend to celebrate the comings and goings in our life.

Today there was a baby shower for a special couple who are expecting their 2nd girl in December.  I do believe the mommy fought this idea of a shower saying that no one should have a shower for the 2nd.  Well, I say why not?  It’s a baby, it’s a celebration of life, and it’s a great excuse to be social and meet people.  I am blessed to work along side the new daddy every day at work.  A wonderful couple whose faith is in the Lord, and have one TON of fun each and every day.   Bill and I chose to celebrate them with this today:

Sewn Diaper Bag before stuffing it.....

Bag with 'stuffage' included.....

Full and ready for gift bagging.

What a celebration of life – it makes every minute of sewing nothing but pure joy.  And even though one never knows if the mommies and daddies are going to like what you give, this bag was more selfish than that even.  This made ME feel good, no matter what.  This came from my heart, and from the talent the good Lord entrusted to me.  And that’s where the blessings are.

And then the baby that really started the TygerLily name and line is going out our door tomorrow to a new home.  Someone purchased our cherished baby this weekend.  So here it is, ready to meet Mr. Postman and meet the new owner.

Ready to box up....

So it’s now sealed, tissue paper bunched up in the belly of the bag and ziplocked into a plastic bag so no rain, snow or sleet could ever get to it.  Bahbye to my baby that got me published.  I will never EVER forget you.

One last thing to top off the weekend.  A blogging friend’s daughter is starting to show flair and passion for design with yarn and fabric.  So I packaged up as much yarn as I could SIT on and smuch up, sealed it and let her know that there would be yarn coming her daughter’s way from me.  After the fact, she sent me a message to write a story of where I learned my craft, about the passion involved, etc. to her daughter.  WHAT?  I sweated over this for a little bit, but then sat down and without knowing it, wrote a very cathartic letter slash novel and printed it off.  I don’t mail anything out without reading it to my husband.  Whether the letter is what mom really wanted or not, when I read it back outloud it was quite hard for me to read and found myself choking up.  THAT is what my passion is about, and she will be privy to the reasons why.  Not many people know, and really, not many people care.  But I was given the opportunity to share why and what TygerLily is really all about with a young person.  I am truly grateful.

Thank you for checking in – it’s been slow around here with production, but one day, you just watch out what might come flying out at you!  :)