While my nails dry..

Hello out there!

Everytime I've gone to blog over the last couple of weeks I've been distracted by something...or fell asleep. I know..I'm getting old. I'll be 28 on Thursday! Scary stuff. So I thought while I wait for my nailpolish to dry a bit more I'll blog!

Anywho so I do have a lot of news but I just can't remember much of it now. Typical, hey!?! Again lets blame that on getting old  =)

My dream balloons have been SO popular. I donated a mobile for one of my collaborate for a cause auctions and since then it has been non-stop orders for mobiles and single balloons.

So I thought I would tell my story of how I got to the end piece for my dream balloons.  Sit down and grab a cuppa!

As I have mentioned in an earlier post somewhere I saw this awesome stall at one of the craft expos that had these hanging hot air balloons. It totally caught my eye and hyponotised me but I was doubting my sewing skills and if I'd be able to make them or not. I umm'ed and ahhh'ed for a little while and thought I would think about it while I finished off the expo. Of course it got the better of me and I went back and bought the pattern before going home.

I was itching to make a balloon even though it took me a while since I've never sewn something that was round before! I eventually got it made and was so proud of myself! I have it hanging in my bedroom and even though I'm an adult find it very relaxing just watching it swing and turn in the breeze.

But I came to a halt when I was reading through the pattern abit closer and I saw 'this is copyrighted and cannot be sold'. My heart sank as I knew my customers would just LOVE these. So this is where my mission started!

Now normally when I see something I like or see a pattern for sale I will go home and search for a free pattern on the internet. I know thats the cheap-arse way of doing things but hey, I'm sure most of you do the same thing. Plus you can find ALOT on pinterest!

I searched and searched and found quite a few different tutorials using different textiles such as felt and scrapbooking paper. While this wasn't the same as the pattern I bought I pretty much took all the good bits from each pattern that worked for me and voila! I now have my own little cross-bred hot air balloon pattern.

To be honest though the finished product doesn't look too different to the original but it's more so the construction and the little details that I've changed to suit me and the way that I create. I have to give credit to the original pattern make for inspiring me with her hot air balloons! While I can't remember the name of her business I know it had "craft" in the title somewhere.

How To: Tassel Banner

Hey Peeps!

This post is a "How to" make your own tassel bunting! I wanted to make one of these for my last market but just didn't get time. Since then I've had these two plastic tablecloths sitting in my craft room annoying me so I bit the bullet and made my banner! 

Now I read ALOT of other tassel bunting/banner tutorials which I looked up on Pinterest and alot of them use tissue paper which makes it a little easier when figuring out size etc. Now you can use tissue paper and apply the same techniques but I would imagine you'd have to be more delicate in some steps. Plus because I will want to use mine numerous times and make it 'weather proof' I thought making it with a plastic tablecloth the next best option. 

So sit back...relax...and enjoy! I hope it comes in handy for you one day too!

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HOW TO: TASSEL BANNER

Materials:

Two or more plastic tablecloths (I got mine for $1.80 each at an el cheapo shop)

Scissors

Ruler

Glue (Any glue should be fine for this)

String (I used gardeners twine)

Step 1:

This is what my tablecloths looked like after trying to fold them back up. I give my attempt a 5/10. 

Take your tablecloth and fold it in half andf then in half again. This way it'll give you four layers at a time to work with. Plus your pieces will be more even in the end. From top to bottom measured around 65cm.

Now that you have your nice folded and flat layers you'll want to cut them into big strips. As you can see I have a ruler sitting on the left edge and cut up the dotted line. My pieces were about 32/33/34cm wide. 

Step 2:
Where you have folded your tablecloth there will be  a looped edge. Make sure you cut this open on both ends before continuing. I almost forgot a couple of times!

You should have a nice bunch of four pieces after cutting your first section. Now put this aside and cut up the rest of your tablecloths. 

Step 3:
Take one of your pieces and fold it in half so it is half the LENGTH. This means you'll still have a piece 30-ish cm wide and now about 33cm in height. 

Starting on the edge where the two ends meet cut into your piece. Make sure you stop cutting about an inch away from the folded edge. DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH!

Step 4:
Take your sliced up piece and unfold it so you have the solid piece running down the middle and the tassel pieces either side. 

Now fold this piece in half so the ends are touching. You may need to untangle the tassel pieces as you complete this part.

Now fold it in half again....

Keep going until you have it nicely folded like mine below. 

Step 5:
Now this step can get a little tricky but gets easier with practice. If you are using tissue paper I would warn you now so be very careful!

Your need to twist the middle section nice a tight. I tried to twist mine reasonably tight as they do come undone a little bit in the next couple of steps. If you are using tissue paper I would think it would stay in the twisted form a bit better than the plastic. 

Let the twist loop back on itself and glue this in place. 

I gave mine a little extra twist when I had the glue on as it was easier than trying to get the glue in at the beginning. I also used a little clip to just hold it in place while the glue dried. You could use pegs for this if you don't have any clips. 

Just make sure you don't glue the hole shut otherwise you'll have issues.
 

Here are all my lovely pink tassels made! I could have made more out of the table cloth but I was happy with my 12. 

Step 6:
I made this step up myself as I thought it gives the tassels a finished look and a little extra durability.

The picture below shows one already wrapped but I basically found a strip that was closest to the loop and easy to wrap around the twist join. 

Wrap...wrap...wrap and then secure with some glue. Voila! A beautiful finished tassel ready to be hung!

I noticed after threading on a couple of tassels my string was fraying on the end so I did the old shoelace trick and wrapped some sticky tape around the end. 

In other tutorials I have seen people just thread the tassels on and let them hang freely which would be fine for a birthday party/baby shower etc. But since mine is going to be used outside where it could be windy I have knotted my tassels in place about 15cm apart. 

All done! I can't wait to use it at my next market!

TTFN xx

 

Happy New Financial Year!!

Ok the new financial year isn't exactly that exciting but I can't believe today is the 1st of July!! This year has just flown and no doubt Christmas will be here before we know it!

I was just reading a blog I stumbled across on Pinterest and there was a post about how Instagram has made her lazy regarding her blog posts and I suppose thats true!! I tend to take sneak peek snaps and 'works in progress' pics and put them up on Instagram but leave them off my blog. So while not all of these photos are BB related I thought I would share some of my latest pics from Instagram.

I had come home late one night from my boyfriends and my cat was straight up onto my bed and in for some cuddles. I think she may have been a little bit cold.

Sneak peek at my progress through my Collaboration for a cause.

I pushed my luck with the bobbin and it ran out right near the end of doing an applique. I knew I was pushing the friendship.

This is my newest addition to the toy family. I have always had a lot of stuffed toys and my very first and favourite toy was called 'piggy'. He is shown in the below photo when I was probably around 2 or 3? I left him in one of those rides in the shopping centers and when we went back he was gone. Needless to say that day was quite traumatic and I still get the sads when I think about him.

But since my boyfriend has known about that story he has been determined to find me another 'piggy'. I love his ambition even though I say no toy could replace piggy. Anywho he bought me this giant pig on the weekend and I love him. His name is Kal. We had a little nap on Sunday arvo when we got home from shopping and Kal was a good snuggle buddy.Whenever I am in a second hand shop or markets I always check out the second hand toys for sale because you never know if Piggy might pop up again one day.

Then one night I was busy cutting out clouds for my boys collab piece which I can say is very close to being finished!

Then here is my lovely kitty cat again! This was a picture taken for FMS photo a day and I think the word was Love. My cat is such a poser...