Warning: Mason Jar Pin Cushion Tutorial

And by warning, I mean I've never done a tutorial before. I've always been afraid that I'm not very good at them.

This one is simple enough that I think that I can handle it. Please feel free to ask questions if something doesn't make sense or have other questions.

With this I ask that you wish me luck and maybe if this one is good as it sounds in my head, I'll make more.

I made this cute little mason jar pin cushion in under an hour.

Materials:

thick paper

scissors

fabric

mason jar with a two part lid

hot glue gun

hot glue sticks

ribbons

fiber fill

 1. Trace the flat inner circle of the lid. You can use a dressmakers pencil or marker.
Cut a 1/4 inch away from the inside of the circle (make it smaller) so it doesn't touch the sides of the lid.
(I had to eyeball it because I haven't had a compass since high school)
Then glue that paper to the bottom side of the flat lid. I used paper to help keep the fabric secured to the lid. Hot glue doesn't stay stuck to metal well.

 2.  Mark your fabric with the actual lid size and then a 1 inch larger circle around it. You can use a dressmakers pencil/chalk or marker. Cut your fabric 1 inch larger then the flat lid. Then cut notches all around the circle almost to the original size of the lid (I traced the lid on the fabric too for this). Don't cut the notches too close to the actual size of the lid, you will have fiber fill to bulk up the fabric.
The notches are for easy folding.

 3. Take a nice big fluffy hand full of fiber fill. Make sure you have a full tight ball that feels almost too big for your hand. You don't want it too small or you will not have a tall enough mount to hold the needles.

4. Place the fiber fill in between the top part of the flat circle lid and the wrong side of the fabric. Have the fabric facing wrong side up, then the fill with the bottom side up lid on top (like a sandwich, a very dry and tough sandwich).

 5. (This is the tricky part, but not too difficult) Start to hot glue one notch while holding the cotton fill sandwich steady. Glue one notch at a time, starting with one then the opposite notch to help keep the fill in.

 *IMPORTANT*
Hot glue is well…HOT! Please be careful.

Pull snug but not too tight. Remember to have a tall enough mount on the top.
Continue to glue down the rest of the notches.

 6. After all it said that done, you can flip it right side up and add the ring and screw it back on the jar. Super easy.

 If you want more poof to the top, just make adjustment s to the fabric size and the amount fiber fill.

I added ribbon to the lid to dress it up a little.

Again, I hope this tutorial makes sense and easy to follow.

Monster Cupcakes! RawR!

I made cupcakes for a Halloween party this year. I made cookies last year and wanted to do something different this year.

They are pretty simple. I just used a grass tip for the green fuzzballs. I decorate cakes for a living so I've got all the equipment. :)

 

I'm happy with how my Frankenstein's monsters turned out. I couldn't help but make at lest one bride of Frankenstein.  I LOVE the noses!

These blue buddies are made with a star tip. But watch out, they will bite your fingers off!

Now these Draculas sport a nifty widow's peek. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the blood drips that I added to their fangs.

And last but not least. MUMMIES! The wrappings are made with the flat side of a ribbon tip. These three amigos are thick as thieves.

Now I think next year I will step up and make an awesome spooky tiered cake.  I have an idea in mind...

Velcra - Quick and Dirty

I saw this video a long time ago, and I fell in love with it.

Velcra is a Finnish industrial metal/electronica group.

Anyway, I love the part when she holds up the signs that say quick bomb and dirty bomb.

They were super easy, took no time at all. I think I want to make them into pillows.

As you can see I haven't do anything with them yet. I just finished them the other day.

Sadly no one will get the reference. They are not even on iTunes. :(

I love how inspiration can come out of nowhere.

Odds and Ends

I finally made my corset embroidery into a pin chusion.

Here is that only mouse that I will EVER let in my kitchen.
He looks so happy on his little tower of tea cups.

I've been doing a lot of satin stitching lately and I was a little burned out, or rather my poor little hand!

But I couldn't resist! This really didn't take me that long to do.
I love how colorful it is.

My husband the artist

My hubby posted on his blog finally! I have to give him a hard time (he doesn't post very much)
I've done a couple embroidery piece that featured on of his girls.

Like this one and this one too.

He has great potential. I can see him completing some of his bigger projects and putting them on our Etsy shop. I think that they would sell. I have faith in him, he would do so well. He, like I have a hard time convincing ourselves that our crafts and art are good enough that other people would enjoy it too.

Halloween kitchen collection

This is my normal everyday kitchen decor.

I just happen to LOVE spooky stuff and well it's just to cool to display once a year.

Just some cool crap that I love. :)

Over at the Glitter and Gloom Blog...

Currently taking inventory of all of our items, sifting through the plushie goodness!

Life got in the way of our shop's relaunch, but now I have time to focus on the shop and I'm in full swing of getting our items back up.

And if you look closely you'll see some new stuff too!