Something For Me Instead Of The House

This week I was pawing around in my craft supplies and trying to come up with another idea to post. I came across a bag of letter beads that I purchased from a dollar store a while back. They were too small to do a home decor project with so I decided to do something to decorate me. I've made fabric and mixed media pins in the past and so I began to play a little with some other supplies. This is what I came up with.

I made a pillow form about 3 by 1-1/4 inches finished with a stiff piece of interfacing inside to stabilize it. Trim was added to the outside and then the fun began. I picked out spacer beads to place between the letter beads which were sewn on swag style. Then on to my other embellishments where the basket and star metal stampings and tiny red heart were found and sewn on. Lastly a pin back was added.

I hope you'll try this idea too. Shalom!

The Stars Come Out For Hanakkah

Hanakkah is fast approaching and the search is on for interesting decorations. I came across directions for this weeks project at http://www.designmegillah.com/2013/10/paper-stars-for-chanukah.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+designmegillah%2FrQWh+%28Design+Megillah%29

This was so much fun, sort of like being a kid again. Of course I had to add a little variety to mine. I used white card stock that I spray painted, pearlized card stock, and holographic printer paper.

Some of my stars were doubled and some were left single. Then I added cording to each with a bead or two on the other end of the cord.

I wound the cords around the scrollwork on my hanging lamp in our kitchen to hang my stars.

As you can see, I had way too much fun. You have to try this one yourself. When you start making these stars you just can't stop!

A Hanukkah Pin For Cross Stitchers

The past two weeks have been a wild ride for me. After dealing with a relative's health issues and my own bad cold, I really appreciate having a couple of backup projects to share. Both projects are Hanakkah themed and were created last year before I started this blog. I'll share one of them with this post and the other at another time.

I enjoy designing various pins and when my daughter purchased a Menorah charm for me at a going-out-of-business beading store, it was the perfect embellishment to use on a pin.

This measured just under 1 square inch.

To make this pin I used a 2 inch by 3 inch piece of 18 count cross stitch fabric for a base. I stitched a very simple pattern on it to simulate a tallit and straight stitches for the wording. Blue cross thread and silver metallic thread was used.  The Menorah was attached with stitching and gold beads were stitched on to simulate candle flames. Then felt was glued on the back and the edges were finished with blanket stitch. The bottom was fringed and strands of beads were added at the bottom corners. Lastly a pin was sewn onto the back.

After I finished I realized that maybe Hanukah wasn't spelled right. What to do? I looked it up on the internet and found at least 16 or more different ways to spell it and this was included. Whew! I had visions of having to take it apart and redo it. I was glad not to have to.

Hopefully life will settle down to a roar very soon. I want to do much on this blog to make it more interesting to my viewers. Maybe more instructions, links and ideas to run with.

Hugs! Roxanne

A Substitution

After my last post about a project which I considered a flop, I've been working on a much better project. But alas, I realized I couldn't complete it in time for today's post so I worked up a substitute. I enjoy displaying little pillows of all kinds in our home. Sometimes they are displayed on shelves and sometimes in baskets.

If you've been reading my past posts you'll notice that I include words in many of my projects. By including words in Hebrew it helps me remember  how to spell them in Yahweh's language. The following counted cross stitch is my own design. Yes, I know the challah loaf doesn't look quite right so bear with me. It's the artist's interpretation that counts. 

Glass beads were added to represent candle flames.

Deu 5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD your God has commanded you.

A Menorah In Cross Stitch

A while back I made a cross stitch Menorah from a free pattern at this site: http://crossstitch.about.com/od/patternsfromyourguide/ig/Lighted-Menorah-Pattern/  I had to ponder how to use this pattern and I came up with the following.

Since I am a sewer/quilter I decided to turn this into a wall hanging. Sashing was added to the cross stitch peace as a border. Then ribbon and rick-rack were added as trim and I sewed beads on the purple trim and on the candle tips to mimic flames. Lastly strings of beads were sewn on the top and bottom corners and a ribbon added for a hanger. Before I added any of the beading I sewed a backing onto the front pillow style and turned it right side out. I found that it started to droop when I hung it up so I tacked a shortened skewer on the back to stablize it.

I also made a similar one for a friend. The difference was basically that I added the strings of bead to the bottom left and right corners. This gives the flavor of a tallit to the hanging.

I hope you enjoyed my hangings and that you try making this yourself.