Have Featherweight, Will Travel

And oh how I love this travel companion!

She allows me to continue to make these handy dandy phone sleeves which I carry much more often than a purse. Following Sher Hastings directions, I increased the size to accommodate a larger phone. I can slip a small coin purse, shopping list, coupons, etc. in the pocket. Note the prairie points, my first. I continue to be amazed at all the free online instructions! I found these at PatchworkPosse.

For a friend, my Featherweight and I made this flag. After helping launch Tipsy Tuesday on our patio, my friend is now living in Montana. She wanted a flag with cows and mountains so she could continue the tradition out west. The cows and mountains were created with stencils using freezer paper, my Silhouette Portrait and craft paint.

I think my granddaughter also likes the little Featherweight and the Silhouette. 

She made a purse tissue cover for her friend who, like Camille, is a ballerina. The image is a silhouette of her friend which I created in Photoshop Elements (yes, I am exploring the PSE 14 and I like it! The magic eraser is really great for removing backgrounds.) With assistance Camille created a freezer paper stencil using my Silhouette Portrait. Since both girls had the role of a dragonfly in the recent production of Cinderella, she added a little dragonfly.

Wanting to add a Cinderella photo to my digital picture frame and knowing photos from the Northwest Florida Ballet Company were copyrighted, I got creative.

Camille’s mom took some good photos at the dress rehearsal, but they had an unflattering background.

Once again, PSE 14 to the rescue! Using that marvelous magic eraser I got rid of the background. Using the gradient tool, I created another background on to which I moved both photos.

 Viola!

You can take the crafter out of the studio, but that doesn’t stop her creativity! I will be back in the studio in a couple of weeks.

Back in the Studio

Yep, I am back and crafting big time! So what am I doing?

Well a bit of sewing; using the free instructions from Sher’s Creative Space, I made a couple of phone sleeves for gifts. 

I made this one to carry to football games, it is a bit too snug for my phone but I did use it. I think I will remake it before next season.

(I have a Christmas one for me cut and ready to sew, you know the one for you, one for me thing.)

I have made a lot of travel tissue covers. They make neat little stocking stuffers and are nice to take to memorial services. I found these instructions over on Two BrownBirds blog.

The tissue cover on the right is actually a silhouette of my granddaughter that I printed. 

So generous of these folks to share the free tutorials!

Last spring I took an Iced Resin workshop at Ephemera Paducah, it was a lot of fun so I bought a 2-part plunger and some bezels. I brought them home and promptly put them on a shelf.  A newsletter from Iced Resin showed up in my email folder offering the plungers at a real good price and free shipping. Hmm, I thought, but first I should probably use what is on the shelf.  So I did.  I can tell you resin is so much fun!!!.  And yes, I did order more! I will have to do a post next week to show off my new baubles. Oh, and today's e-newsletter, I see Ice Resin is hosting workshops in Tucson in February. You know where I will be in February, yes I will be in Arizona and I think I can arrange to be in Tucson! 

Handy Randy has been busy in the shop finishing the shelves for my studio slat wall, which of course I must paint. He thinks the studio redo is completed (and maybe it is.)

Free Inspiration!

As promised, here are a few freebies I have found on the various blogs I follow. And who doesn't like free! 

On her blog, A Colorful Journey, Carolyn Dube is offering a 5 lesson mixed media workshop with each new video lesson coming out every 3 days. It is free and downloadable, so it can be watched at one’s convenience. She uses variety of supplies and encourages folks to use what is on hand. I have watched one of the videos and can't wait to get back to The Underground and give it a try.

Pintangle has link to a free downloadable for Elsie Svennas A HANDBOOK  OF LETTERING FOR STITCHERS.  It has some very pretty stitches and combination of stitches with clear instructions. A used hardcopy sells for $146 on Amazon. I downloaded it to my iPad.

Every Thursday, Cloth Paper Scissors offers a free download of one of their older magazines on their Facebook page. The free emagazine is offered only on Thursday.If you subscribe to their newsletter, you will have an opportunity to download mini lessons on various topics each Saturday. I have downloaded several magazines and lessons to my iPad. 

Love to make bags or just want to try without investing a lot of money, check out the Bags to Sew website for free patterns. 

On Facebook, Ornation Creation is offering over 100 really cool templates for Zentangling.  It is a closed page and requires a request to join. Once accepted in the group, just download from files, print and tangle!

Documented Faith’s Facebook page is loaded with lots of photos of Bible Journaling.

These are only a few of the free inspirations for crafters on the web. So, how do I get all the free information without cluttering my in-box? I have a separate email address designated for only blogs and newsletters.  

Have some favorite sites for free inspiration? Please share in the comments!