Sneak Peeks: A Finished Object

This...


Plus this....


Makes a surprise for my Cozy Domesticity swap partner!

Flag Book Tutorial

Over the course of this year I hope to create more bookbinding and craft tutorials to share with you. Here's the first; a flag book! This book was made out of the pile above, using the greeting cards we received on the birth of Baby. You don't need any special materials for this project, just a ruler, utility knife, scissors, some glue, and your paper. If you enjoyed my tutorial, please let me know at bibliosophy@gmail.com. Have fun!


Bookbinding - Flag Book Tutorial

Publish at Scribd or explore others: How-To Guides & DIY art crafts

Cozy Domesticity Swap

I've decided to host my first swap! For this swap, put together a package for your partner that they can use for some cozy domestic moments this winter. Build your package around one handmade item: perhaps a lavender-filled eye mask, with some bubble bath, a great novel, and dark chocolate. Or perhaps a knitted tea cozy, with a pretty tea cup, some tea, and a fun magazine.

Whatever you choose to do, the focus should be on the handmade item. Other ideas include hand-knit socks, mittens or gloves, aprons, potholders, embroidered tea towels, etc.; be creative and have fun! Focus on your handmade item and include a couple other things to provide your partner with some cozy domesticity this winter. You can purchase materials and items or use things from your stash and re-gift items, as long as they’re in top-notch condition. Vintage is always welcome too!

You must be an active blogger or I must know you personally to participate! To sign up, send an email to bibliosophy@gmail.com with the following information. Then, grab the button from my blog and link back to it from yours.

Name:
Address:
Blog address:
Willing to ship internationally?
Hobbies:
Favorite winter activities:
Favorite kind/genre of book:
Hot beverage preference:
Favorite magazines:
Favorite colors:
Any crafts you don’t do but wish you could?
Collect anything small?
Favorite craft supplies:
Decorating style:

The last day to sign up will be January 22, and I will tentatively assign partners by the 24th. The ship out date will be March 1. Come join me and create some handmade winter cozies!

Wooly Wonderfuls

For free entertainment Saturday nights, we sometimes go to the bookstore and get a big pile of books to page through or read (yes, we're those people, who read and do not, usually, buy). DH and I split up, collect some books we want to look at, and meet at the cafe. I have to say, I don't expect much from the craft selection, as I've pretty much exhausted it at most stores. But Saturday, I found this little jewel of a book, Wooly Embroidery; it is worth all of $14.95. There are great instructions for all kinds of embroidery, including crewel, using wool thread, and some sweet little projects. These buttons are from the book, done on scrap linen, and the larger embroidery is destined to be a needle case. I'm proud of myself, I've actually used a craft book that I bought, instead of just look and drool!

Destash: Scrap Fabric Wreath

In an effort to continue cleaning out my stash of craft supplies, I made this festive wreath for the basement door. I pulled all my red, pink, and green colored fabrics, and used them up to make a new decoration!

First, I cut the fabric into strips that are about 1 1/2" x 6"; any size really will work, just make sure you can tie the strips in a knot.



Then, with your purchased wire wreath frame, start tying the strips onto the frame, packing them pretty tightly to cover all the space.



Continue in this way until you've covered the frame and the wreath is pleasing to you. I finished it by tying a pretty ribbon on one side to use as a hanger.



Easy! And now you have an (almost) free new holiday, or anyday, decoration!

February in July

As a means to using up my yarn stash, I've started on a February Lady Sweater, with some rose colored Classic Elite Lush. I think this picture communicates just how soft and fuzzy this yarn is. It is lovely to work with, beautifully soft, but it sheds something fierce! I have to remember not to work on it when I'm wearing black, or white. Today will be perfect as I'm wearing hot pink (a nice hot pinky color, not a fluroescent one!).



And I've been working on my partner's purse for The Great Knitted Purse Swap on Ravelry and having so. much. fun. This is a sneak peek of part of the purse (and a little blurry at that), but I don't want to give it all away, even though my partner doesn't know who I am.