Pattern Embroidery DIY

Hellooooo!


I spent part of last night and all of today working on some embroidery pieces to hang in Aaron and my office at the church :) The walls are depressingly bare so I told him I would make some pretty things to put on them.  I thought I would do a DIY on the pattern process since most people I know don't use it very often.


Step One:
Make pattern.  You can either draw, use Microsoft Word, or do what I did and use Adobe Illustrator.





Step Two:
Cut apart your pattern and pin pieces to the back of your material in your embroidery hoop.




Step Three:
Stitch through the paper pattern and your material. I put a lamp behind my hoop so I could see the outline of my pattern better, but if your material is thin enough you shouldn't need to do this in order to see through it.

This is what the back should look like when you're done stitching.

Step Three:
Remove paper pattern from underneath stitches.


Tear away excess paper from outside of pattern. The stitches perforate it in a way, so this shouldn't be too difficult. I usually hold down the stitches with one finger, and pull at the paper with the other hand, just to be sure I don't rip out any stitches with the paper.



If you have smaller sections within your pattern, like I did, use the point of a seam ripper to get underneath the tiny pieces and lift them out. BE CAREFUL not to slip and cut through your stitches.



Voila! Here are my finished products :D





I still need to frame the Hug piece, but I think they'll do nicely to warm up the office a little bit. Thanks for joining me!  Still looking for ideas on what to do with the clock and the matchboxes!


Keep Smiling,
Alyssa

Exciteable Friday . . .

Happy Almost Weekend!  


I love seeing my designs after they've been printed.  It reminds me that there is a benefit to all of the work I'm doing :)  I got nearly giddy when I came in the Gallery today to see the new postcards on the desk.





I don't really know why I got so excited, I've been designing the postcards for over a year and a half now . . . I guess I'm just in an especially good mood because it's Friday. :)  Also, I found part of Joshua's birthday present today! I think he's really going to like it.  I'm one of those people who gets so excited about giving gifts that I often give them early because I can't bear to hold onto them anymore. . . hopefully I can hold out until his birthday on Tuesday.   And hopefully it gets shipped in time . . . 


Also, I have plans to try a new sewing project this Saturday.  If all goes well, I'll be putting up a DIY sometime next week! BE EXCITED.


Hope you all have a wonderfully relaxing weekend :D  Thanks for joining me.


Keep Smiling,
Alyssa

Looking for ideas!

Hey guys!


I have a few projects that I have been messing with in my head, trying to figure out which direction I want to go with them.  Let me know if you have any ideas!






This is a clock that I picked up at a thrift store when Joshua and I went to visit Jess and Tyler in Kansas City.  The clock mechanism works, but the hands aren't screwed on tight enough and they slip loose to always point downward.  I'm looking for some way of either fixing the mechanism or replacing it, and I'm looking for ideas on what color to paint the wood :)  I'm thinking something bright and weird . . .





These are some pretty little matchbooks I've been collecting.  Joshua's roommate smokes a pipe and prefers matches to lighters, so he gives them to me when he's emptied them.  I have 5 or 6 right now, but will probably continue to collect more.  I thought the illustration was really pretty, and I love any sort of box, but I need ideas of what to use them for or make with them.




Also,





my snood came in!  I love it :) And Joshua is a pretty big fan, too.  The only goodies I'm still waiting for are my nailpolish and messanger bag.  The bag actually came in last week, but was accidentally shipped to my parents house instead of to me.  DOH! I'll have to pick it up next time I go to visit *sigh* whenever that is . . . 


Thanks for joining me, today! I can't wait to hear what ideas you all come up with for this stuff.


Keep Smiling,
Alyssa

Whats in my bag . . .

I love these! I think they're so fun (probably just because I'm super nosey).


Here goes . . .





We have:
-numerous highlighters and pens (I color code my datebook, these are a necessity)
-a lovely little pencil pouch that Joshua got me for Christmas
-A hair bow from Mrs. Jessica Tankersley
-mustache and monocle journal
-The Better World Shopping Guide (little book that rates companies on their social and ecological responsibility so that you can support responsible corporations.  You can see their extensive website here).
-Motherless Brooklyn by Johnathan Lethem
-hippie datebook
-Post-its
-Ray Bans
-iPod
-Chapstick
-Tylenol
-Tissues
-Checkbook
-Sample of Donald Miller's new Sunday School curriculum
-cigarillos
-pretty green zippo :)


So, I carry a pretty big bag. haha.


Thanks for joining me :)


Keep Smiling,
Alyssa

Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

That's what I was having a little while ago.  My day wasn't off to a very good start with running late for work and falling flat on my butt in the parking lot outside my building (salt would be greatly appreciated, maintenance man).  However, I got into work, and despite the fact that I was 5 minutes late, I'm still having a good day.


I've been having issues with my web design project.  I opted to use different software than what the professor was teaching, because I had it on my computer and I thought it would be beneficial to learn the software that I have in case I ever want to use it in the future.  Well, in case you didn't know--


Web Design is hard.  And confusing.  And the software makes me want to scream.


But I figured it out.  Not only was I able to upload the design that I made, but I was able to create rollovers, too.  (Those fancy little things that make the buttons change color when you put your mouse on top of it.)


I'm pretty proud of myself.  Hopefully the professor will be pleased with my progress. I have one of the four pages for my site uploaded at this point, and the goal is to have all four uploaded by the time I have class at 1:30.  This seems like it allows me a whole lot of time, but I have another class between now and then, so I really only have a couple of hours.  Hopefully I can get it accomplished, or at least a good portion of it.  After I get those uploaded, I'll just need to link them together, and then I'll be done!


We'll see how it goes . . . Thank Jesus for youtube tutorials. :P


My goal lately has been to keep a more positive attitude and try and keep from getting overwhelmed so easily (this happens to me on a regular basis).  Joshua has been helping, and a few days ago he shared this image with me,





I feel that it helps to keep this little birdy in mind when things get really frustrating :)  I plan to make an embroidery that has this saying and a little birdy or some McDonalds french fries on it, so that I can display it and keep it in mind more readily :)  Plus, Josh and I just think that little bird is hilarious.  He found a fry!!! Wouldn't you be excited?!


Thanks for visiting me today.  I hope you are as happy as a bird with a french fry. :)


Keep smiling,
Alyssa

I got a valentine :)

Lydia is the daughter of our Campus Minister. She's 11 and incredibly awesome. She gave me this Valentine on Wednesday. I guess, technically, she gave it to me AND Joshua.  But that's beside the point.








It even came with a bookmark! So cool :)


I'm not normally into Valentines Day, but Joshua insisted that we do something.  I'm not sure exactly what we're going to do yet, but I'll be sure to let you know once I find out. :)


Keep Smiling,
Alyssa

A look at what's to come . . .

I had a little free time this Saturday (again!) so I got to get a little caught up on some photographs and run a few errands.


I went into Hobby Lobby today to pick up a few things for some alterations I needed to make, and I ended up with more goodies than I planned. I really should only go into that store with a partner so that they can keep me from spending so much money.











I found these little bundles of coordinated cotton material. There's four patterns in each bundle and there's a fat quarter of each, which is just enough to make two of those jewelry rolls that I made last weekend.  I bought coordinating zippers for the fabrics and I can't wait to get started on these for some special people ;)





I also found this pretty fabric in the remnant bin.  I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet, but whatever it is, it'll be adorable :)





The last purchase was a new embroidery hoop :) Joshua has been using my thrift-find-hoop for a while now, so I thought I would invest (a whole $3) in a bigger hoop so I could make some wall hangings to give as wedding gifts for the 100000 weddings that I am going to this summer.


I can't wait to get started on all of these goodies :D Thanks for joining me today!


Keep smiling,
Alyssa

Fruits of my labor

My craft day is still technically in progress, but I'm starting to get a little sleepy so I thought I'd share with you what I have so far :)



This is my equivalent of a "studio".  I live in a tiny apartment and have limited storage space, so these shelves on top of my dresser hold all of my sewing material (my art stuff takes up considerably more space and therefore has to be stored in the closet).






These are some Ball Mason jars that I got at Leftovers, a recycling/upcycling store in St. Charles.  I had originally planned to use them as candle holders and put doilies on the outside to make cool shadows.  When I got them home, I changed my mind and decided to use them to hold my buttons and lace.  I'm open for ideas for a third, smaller jar that I acquired when I recently finished off some jelly :)


These are some goodies that my wonderful mother got for me when my family came to visit a couple of weeks ago.



I've wanted to have a red kitchen since I was little, and recently Joshua and I decided to paint one of our kitchen walls turquoise. I saw this table cloth in an antique store that my family and I were browsing and my mom decided to get it for me :) She also surprised me with this rolling pin! She was pretty excited about it because the handles are loose from the pin, so it rolls more easily. Apparently it's hard to find a newly manufactured pin that has that feature ;)


And, here's what I did today :


I used the pattern that I bought yesterday to make this adorable little jewelry roll.








The pattern called for regular zippers, but I used invisible zippers because I think they look nicer.  It also suggested a snap closure to hold the ring holder to the top, but I opted to use a loop of ribbon and a button (mostly because I forgot to buy a snap at the fabric store while I was out and I didn't want to go out again).  The little embroidery on the front was also an addition of mine.  I thought it would spruce it up a little since I used plain, unbleached canvas for the outer fabric instead of a patterned material.


It's a little rough because it was my first try, but I'm pretty happy with myself :) All in all, it took me about 3 hours (including one little seam-ripper-requiring setback :P).


My second project was this zipper pouch:






It's for one of the new mics that Joshua just bought for the band.  The other two that we got came with zipper pouches for transport, but one just came in bubble wrap, so I told him that I would make a case for it.  Nothing too terribly attractive, but it'll do the job :)


The rest of my evening (which should last until about 8 or 9 o'clock when Joshua gets off work) is probably going to consist of addressing wedding invites, maybe making a cover for my camera strap, and possibly even cutting the fabric for some pajama pants that I told Joshua I would make for him for Christmas (don't worry, they weren't his only present).


That's all for now :) Next blog will be an update on whatever else I make tonight, and "What's in my Bag" (I think those are so fun). If I can get the boys together, maybe I'll even have some Berlin Airlift promo pictures to share with you all :D


Thanks for joining me.


Keep Smiling,
Alyssa

Good News!

I'm finally going to have time to craft tomorrow!  This is what my schedule normally looks like:



Notice how Saturday is COMPLETELY empty? For the last few weekends I have had things come up on Saturdays, but not this weekend! Joshua is working a double shift, and Matthew is going home, so there will be no Berlin Airlift stuff going on, and I have the whole day to do whatever my little heart desires!  Lately, my little heart has been desiring to make one of these-








I finally ordered the pattern today from Sarah at punchanella.  Her shop has all sorts of goodies and patterns (that she emails you for instant download as soon as your payment goes through. Nice) and she is SUPER sweet.  I highly recommend her, and her shop.


I purchased a vintage collander a loooooong time ago, and unfortunately it has been discontinued.  On the up side--I got my money back and have had a little extra to play around with lately.  Here are some things I've purchased with that money and will probably be coming in soon--unfortunately not soon enough to be a part of all my girly fun tomorrow.



Gorgeous messenger bag.  I have an addiction to vintage luggage.
(source)



Josh has mentioned a few times that he likes head coverings and snoods.  I personally think they're adorable, too.  He specifically said that he thought I would look cute in a snood, and when I found one that I liked I thought I would give it a try :) I ordered this one from April's Bag on Etsy. It should be here in a week or so :)



I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS NAILPOLISH.  I haven't painted my nails much since last summer, but I have a feeling that this pretty color will help me make time for it :)


And, lastly--I lost my pocket mirror a while ago and finally found a sufficiently cute replacement :) 

Kaylah, from The Dainty Squid, makes REALLY adorable pocket mirrors (and change pouches/pencil pouches) and will make them custom from any fabric in her shop.  She is super sweet and has really adorable stuff.  I ordered a mirror like the one pictured above, only with this fabric:





I'm also planning on including, in my crafty-awesomeness of a day, some time to take pictures of whatever I end up making, as well as some things that I have made recently.  Those pictures will then be posted here :) 


 Also, sometime early next week (hopefully) I should be able to post some promo pictures for Berlin Airlift. Check out that blog, if you haven't already, and see some of the crazy instruments and equipment we've been getting lately.  It's pretty awesome ;)


Thanks so much for joining me, today!


Keep smiling,
Alyssa

Wednesdays are the worst.

I know they're supposed to be exciting because it means your halfway done with the work-week, but my Wednesday schedule is absolute insanity.

work-8-9

class- 9-11:50

work- 12-1

class-1:30-4:20

staff meeting 4:45-5:15

Family Meal 5:30-6:15

Bible Study 6:30-7

Choir Practice 7-8:15

Ministry Meeting 8:30-? (tonight it was nearly 10)

Somewhere around 4:30 today I realized that my cardigan was inside out, and had been that way all day long.  No one that I work with, had class with, or ate with said anything. Haha.  Gotta love it.

Thursdays are significantly less hectic, thank goodness.  Off to bed now so that I can drag myself out of bed tomorrow morning to work out. 

 Grace and peace, friends.

Keep smiling,

Alyssa

My future home . . .

I've been thinking a lot lately about the type of atmosphere that my home with Joshua will have.  For the first year of our marriage we will be living in a small apartment that he's been living in for some time.  We've talked some about what we will do, but it still seems really far off (even though we're getting married in less than four months!)





This is the color turquoise that I would like on one wall in the kitchen :)



I wish we could do this.  I love bookshelves :)



This makes me smile.  I like it when houses feel "lived in".



I really, really, really, REALLY want to have an indoor hammock someday . . . . *sigh* someday.
(all images courtesy of weheartit)


Back in a day or two with some images of some of my art.  Hoping to get some feedback :)


Keep smiling,
Alyssa