Tear Drop Leather Earrings for the Church Fair

I've been making things to sell at my church fair which is in just a couple of weeks now! Two friends and I have a table where we sell our stamped cards -  but being the crafty one in the group - I like to make little crafty things as well!  People don't like to spend much at a church fair - so I have to think of that when I'm making things.

I just made these lovely leather tear drop earrings to sell at our table.  Several months ago, I saw and purchased earrings that look very much like these at an Etsy shop.    And then, a few weeks later,  while I was browsing through a sale over at Sizzix -  I found this Movers and Shapers Teardrop die that would allow me to make my own!  

(Sizzix is sold out at the moment but I just found them over at Scrapbook.com! They have the best price over at Scrapbooking warehouse - but they out now and re-ordering) The die set includes a smaller shaped edge piece for each size as well but I haven't made any layered sets yet.

You need to have a magnetic Movers and Shapers Shuttle to use with Movers and Shapers dies.  I have a metal tray with sides but I think this Shuttle has replaced it as I can't find the tray anywhere to show you.

The larger earrings (above) are about 2" long and the smaller earrings (below) are 1 5/8".  I purchased stainless steel fish hook ear wires at JoAnn, as well as jump rings.  I used a piercing tool to punch two holes at the top and then put a jump ring through the holes so it pinches the top in.  You put the ear wire on the loop while you're putting the jump ring through the holes.

I cut tags to sell them on, using Tag Sale Die #2 from PTI.  I wrapped strips of washi tape around the middles for a little touch of design and looped a piece of wrinkled seam tape through the tops.  Presentation is everything, right?!

I purchased leather scraps from Amazon.  I used black, burgundy, white and dark grey leathers for my sets.

I'm selling them for $10.00 so we'll see if the Church Fair market will tolerate that! 

Paper: watercolor paper - Canson
Accessories:  Tear Drop Stack Movers and Shapers Die - Sizzix, scrap leather - Amazon, jump rings and stainless steal fish hook ear wires - JoAnn, Tag Sale Die #2 - PTI, piercing tool, hole punch, wrinkled seam tape, washi tape - Alexandra Renke

Another Eileen Hull Journal Purse!

As I mentioned in last weeks leather 'purse post'! -  I made a second one to share today - and this time I attached a leather cording loop to it so it could be carried on the wrist - or through a belt loop.

 I used Eileen's Sizzix Wrapped Journal Die for the purse and die cut the flowers using her Flower Heart and Soul die.  I used brown, grey and burgundy colors of leather that I purchased on Amazon.

 In the same fashion as  my first purse -  after folding up the bottom half of the journal die cut - I sewed around all the edges on my sewing machine with a 1/4" seam allowance.

  I hand sewed a large snap onto the flap and the body of the purse for the closure. This brown leather is softer and thinner than the gray I used last week - and it was much easier to get the needle through to sew on the snap!

I glued the layers of flowers together with Beacon 3 In 1 Advanced Craft Glue and then put a brad through the center hole.  I glued the flower to the front of the purse over the stitching that showed from attaching the snap.

 To add the handle, I punched a hole with my Cropadile on the top fold of the purse about 1/2" in from the edge.

 When I bought the scraps of leather - I also bought a package of leather cording.  

 I cut a piece about 12" long, folded it in half and pushed the two ends through the hole on the purse.

I pushed a threaded needle through the soft parts of the leather cording and wrapped the thread around the pieces a few times - then knotted the thread.

I laid the end flat and put a big dab of glue under it.

 It seems to be holding on quite well so far!  I've been walking around the house with it dangling from my wrist!  And you can't really put a ton of stuff in the purse that would make it super heavy!

The closed purse measures about 4 1/2" x 5".

All this month, members of Eileen's Inspiration Team are making projects using some of their favorite Eileen/Sizzix dies.  Please check out her blog where Eileen is gathering all of the projects!

 

Accessories:  Wrapped Journal Die, Flower Heart and Soul die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix,  leather scraps and leather cording - Amazon, Urban Prairie Glazed Brad - Basic Grey, Sew On Snap Size 10 - Joann, strong black thread, sewing needle, sewing machine, Cropadile, Beacon 3 in 1 Advanced Craft Glue - Walmart.   

When is an Eileen Hull Sizzix Journal not a Journal?!

This month Eileen Hull's Inspiration Team is making projects using some of their favorite Eileen Hull/Sizzix dies.  She is gathering all the projects and will have weekly posts on her blog in August.

Today I have a project using her wonderful Wrapped Journal Die - but I didn't make a journal -  I made a purse/wallet!  I also used her Flower Heart and Soul die and her Movers and Shapers Floral Cut outs die.

As you can see - you can pack a lot of 'necessaries' in this little purse that measures about 5" x 4 1/2" when closed up.

I  die cut the journal out of some beautiful grey, wonderfully supple, leather.  (more on that below).  I placed the rough side of the leather against my die to cut it.  There are score lines created with the die - and they might cut through the leather if you put the 'good' side down on the die.  You can see the score lines created in the photo above. 

(They are there so the journal will bend when cut from matboard)

I laid the Floral Cut out die inside the space on the journal die to get this lovely floral edge.  Some of the petals didn't quite cut through and I left them on at first, liking the dimension added, but ended up snipping them off as they probably would have torn off when tucking the purse into a pocket book or carrying it around.

There are 4 holes in the middle of the die on each edge, that are used to tie the pages into the journal - I made the bottom fold of the purse where those dots are, matching up the top and bottom dots, and held the fold with clothespins until I sewed the edges.

I don't usually work with leather so I was winging the techniques a bit -  I did put a heavy duty needle in my sewing machine and used a heavy duty thread.  I sewed up from the bottom fold about 1/4" seam allowance.  I had to pull the leather forward as it stitched a bit where it's doubled (maybe there's a thickness adjustment on my Singer - but I didn't think to check that out!) - and I sewed from the bottom up along the side, across the single layer top and back down to the bottom on the other side. 

I think stitching will help keep the leather from stretching out of shape (?)

I die cut one of the flowers from Flower Heart and Soul for the front as a decoration and also to hide the stitching from attaching the large snap I used for the closure.  I used another piece of leather for the flower - this one has texture and a molded design on it - I added a purple gem brad to the center.

I stitched the top of the snap on the inside of the purse and the stitches show on the outside, of course, but will be covered with the flower.

I stitched the other side of the snap on the bottom as shown.  It was a little tough getting the needle through the leather -  perhaps there are better tools if you work with leather a lot?  But I did get it secured.  I double stitched through each hole in the snap to be sure it won't pull away with a lot of opening and closing.

I used a strong craft adhesive to apply the flower and leaves to the front - over the stitches.  Beacon 3 In 1 Advanced Craft Glue I found it at Walmart on line.

(I learned about this adhesive when checking out another sewing project where they were adhering a metal closure to a purse so thought it would be good for this application - so far everything glued is still attached quite soundly!)

So I got my leather pieces from Amazon -  I got two packages of scraps - looking for descriptions that said the package included some larger pieces - hoping they would be large enough for a journal!(these are just some of the larger pieces left)

I purchased two packages - and so far have had enough large pieces to cut out 7 wrapped journals.

I'll be posting my second journal/purse next week so please check back!  I added a little loop strap to that one!

One of the packages included 4 small pieces of snake skin!  Not sure what I'll use that for, but it looks pretty cool -  it's thin, of course, and apparently real!!

I hope you like my little journal purse!  And that you will think outside the box about some of your dies too!!

Please check out Eileen's blog this month to see what favorite dies the rest of the Inspiration Team is creating with!

Accessories:  Wrapped Journal Die, Movers and Shapers Floral Cut Outs die, Flower Heart and Soul die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix,  grey leather scraps - Amazon, Sew On Snaps Size 10 - Joann, strong black thread, needle, sewing machine,  strong white thread, Vintage Brad - Creative Charms, Beacon 3 in 1 Advanced Craft Glue - Walmart. 

Jewelry Dishes with Alcohol Inks

Today I'm sharing a lovely little gift idea that I found on this blog through Pinterest.

You decorate small ceramic dishes with Alcohol Inks to look like flowers and to use as jewelry dishes on your bureau or bedside table.

Here are 12 that I made in a couple of hours time.

You'll find Patti's tutorial here.     

No two dishes ever come out alike - and the good thing is that you just have to rub over the dish with rubbing alcohol on a cloth to erase it all and start all over if you aren't happy!   

I have to say, as I was learning and figuring out how the Alcohol Ink blew around - I 'wiped clean' more than half of my dishes and started again!

Here are some photos of how I made them (slightly different than Patti):   

So you start with these little white ceramic sauce dishes -found at Amazon here.    You wipe off the dishes with Rubbing Alcohol.  I used these Rubbing Alcohol wipes that worked perfectly and are very convenient.  Patti used a canister of Canned Air to blow her Alcohol inks around but I just used this Distress Marker Spritzer from Tim Holtz 

(you squeeze the body and air puffs out of the nozzle.)

 I used a slightly different steps in applying my Alcohol Inks.  I added a drop to start the petal first. (she started with dropping ink on the center)

Then I tipped the bowl back a bit and pumped air on the ink with my tool to spread it up the side, trying for a petal-like shape. It dries pretty quickly so you want to work fast.  You can make any kind of petal shape that pleases you!

Then I went around the dish adding petals.

Then I took a second color of Alcohol Ink and added petals in between the first petals.  For this dish I used Patina and Citrus but you can use anything you have and colors that you favor!

Then I added a drop to the middle, it spreads pretty well, but you can also blow on it to move it and blowing will also stop it's spread.  Just practice to see how the inks move! You can add ink to fill in more petals or cover spots if you have them or wipe the whole thing off with rubbing alcohol and start over.

Here are close ups of a few of the ones shown above. 

 Sunshine Yellow and Ginger Alcohol Inks

Red Pepper and Poppyfield Alcohol Inks

Latte and Patina Alcohol Inks

Latte and Sepia Alcohol Inks

Sailboat Blue and Espresso Alcohol Inks

 You let the dishes dry for a day - then you spray them with a couple of coats of sealent.   

I packaged them up in clear square bottom bags that had a cupcake insert in them so they fit right into the hole on the insert.  I made labels using Tiny Tags stamps and dies from Papertrey Ink.

I had them at our Mother's Day sale at church and will sell them again at our church fair in October.

I think these would also make nice little gifts for friends!

Two Deer in the Winter Wood

Today I have another holiday decoration project I made to sell at my church Christmas sale and also have available to give as a small gifts.

These cloche stands about 3 1/2" tall.  (It's the Large Round one at PTI)

All of the supplies are from the Papertrey Ink Wonderland Make It Market Kit.

Don't you just love these little deer?!  

You can see the lovely tree arch die cut a little better in this photo - I embossed it with Snowflake Tinsel embossing powder from Ranger so it really sparkles along with the Floral Decor Snow that is included in the PTI kit.

I hope you are all set for Christmas and can relax now and enjoy the season!  I think I am!