Plastic Canvas - Coaster

***Update***
The above lay-out and design is not my original design, I found it in:  Plastic Canvas Stitch Dictionary by Leisure Arts.


   Here I used 7-Mesh* Plastic Canvas and cut out 26 x 26 Thread** count. I also used medium 4 worsted yarn, which I no longer have the tag for otherwise I would be more specific on color brand etc... I do, however usually buy red heart ♥, which I purchase at Wal-Mart.
    For the above picture I used the Milanese Stitch for the outside corners, the back-stitch for fill space behind the main decor (The Square/Diamond Shapes). Now for the centerpiece I used the Leviathan Stitch- Double Variation, using the same two colors I used for the outside corners. For specifications on each stitch  used here and more I recommend the Plastic Canvas  Stitch Dictionary by Leisure Arts, or you may be able to find them via online search.
   While adding the stitches remember not to stitch the outer thread. We will leave this open for attaching a back to the piece. (Shown below)  For a backing I used a felt that closely matched my yarn color, cutting to

the size (or slightly smaller) of the coaster which is approximately 3.7" x 3.7". Making it slightly small works great because felt stretches, whereas cutting it too large will cause your coaster to be bumpy and not sit correctly. To attach the backing onto the coaster I used the basic overcast stitch.





Things to keep in mind when purchasing the items to use:

Plastic Canvas is washable, so I recommend using yarn and felt that are also washable, as coasters can become dirty at times.

The Sharper your scissors the better, you are cutting plastic!



* 7-mesh: The mesh size means that is how many wholes are per inch, i.e 7-mesh 7 holes per inch, 5-mesh 5 holes per inch.

When choosing the size to use keep in mind the size of needle and yarn you are using as well as how much detail you prefer to cover the project. The less holes the less stitches, the less detail, the less time it takes to finish your project.


** Thread count: The 'thread' is the 'line' of the plastic canvas, so for 5 holes you will have 6 threads :)

Home-Made Bookmarks

       Simple book marks, great gifts! Done in Minutes!

The Above Bookmark was so simple to make - I drew My design (a swirl with a heart) onto a lid of a cottage cheese container, cut it out & colored with a permanent marker. Be sure to give it time to dry!

Paperclips always work great for bookmarks, I simply added some some beads for decor! 

Below are some honorable mentions of bookmarks made by others as well as a link to their how to pages! Hope you enjoy!

A Beautiful Butterfly Bead Bookmark 

- For the how to Please Visit - 

  http://www.craftbits.com/project/butterfly-bead-bookmark

Simple Yet Elegant Bead Bookmark 

- How to Please Visit -

http://www.craftscope.com/beaded-bookmarks/

Textured and Embellished Bookmark by Diane J. Mayer

- How to Please Visit -

http://www.scratchart.com/projectlessons/texturedbookmark.html

Great for Children 

- Furry Friends Bookmarks- 

-How to Please Visit-

http://www.favecrafts.com/Felt/Furry-Friends-Felt-Bookmarks

Seeded Paper Bookmarks 

- How to please Visit -

http://syam-sun.blogspot.com/2011/05/seeded-paper-bookmark.html

My Favorite- I love the simplicity and uniqueness of this one!

- How to Please Visit -

http://decorationdecoration.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-make-decorative-bookmark.html

I know this is very similar to the previous I just love the statement written on this!

-http://favim.com/image/38483/- 

The above is not a how to, it is just the location in which I found the image! 

A Touch of Rocky Goodness

Two minute incense and candle holder touch ups that will add spark to any corner of any room.

 Cone incense, a very small saucer, a couple stones, a few beads and presto, a nice calming, unique, incense holder. I recommend using a little piece of aluminum foil around on the bottom of the cone incense to keep the beads and saucer from getting burnt.

           

                  A nice stick incense holder in a moment also, here I used a few rocks along with a vase (below) and a drinking glass (right). Sometimes a nice ribbon or string can pull the whole thing together.

     The one to  the right is my favorite,a large wine glass (half filled with water), brightly colored rocks, and three teacup candles a float. Always Classy! To the left, I took a candle holder that had been floating around the house and simply filled it with assorted beads and placed a teacup candle inside.

    

                 Teacup candle in holder, an ashtray, some bath salts, and a small collection of cowrie shells. The bath salts work excellent for a mild scent, I just leave them sitting out stirring occasionally for a stronger scent! 

This one I love to pull out for a centerpiece when I have guests over! One cute plant, one large platter, two candles/candle holders, and about a ¼ of a gallon rocks! 

If you have any questions or ideas you'd like to share, please do! Thank You! 

Create a Jewelry Wall Mount in Under 15 Minutes

Great for All Kinds of Little Things and Simple to Make!

           This simple yet stylish design is not only made in minutes but has so many uses you can’t help but make one or two!

           Not only is it great for woman to hang make-up, jewelry, and hair accessories but I use one by my desk for notes and I even made one for my husband’s pocket watches! You can form many shapes depending on the length.


Things to keep in mind before making your Wall mount:

• What will you hang from your wall mount?

           The reason I ask is because you need more support for heavier items. Which would mean heavier material, tighter braid, and you will probably require more tacks and larger pins.
Example: If I want to just use my braid for hair clips I could use silk or thin weaker material because there is little to no stress on the material. But for my husband’s pocket watches I used heavier material from a window curtain and did a much tighter braid.

• How many items will you be hanging from it or how large is the location you want to put it?

          If you only have a small area and just want to use it for keeping a few notes you will probably want a shorter length whereas if you to where going to hang a few pairs of shoes you will definitely want a longer string. Tip: If you do try hanging shoes I would use hook screws instead of tacks to mount it to the wall.

Materials:
Fabric: I used a 9 by 36 inch piece of material but feel free to use any length or size.
String or 2 Rubber Bands: For my project I used a clear ouch less band but if you don’t have a band that will work well string will work just fine.
5 Tacks: The tacks are used to hang the wall mount so depending on the weight more tacks, screws or nails may be more appropriate.
Pins: Once again depending on what you are using it for you may need more or larger pins. I use small sewing pins in all the images shown.
Scissors: For cutting the Fabric!

Okay, Let’s Get Started!

           Step 1: Cut the fabric into 3 long strips approx 3 inches in width. While cutting the fabric I do not make them perfectly even, this is because I don’t mind a little rigid look. However if you plan sew the pieces I recommend cutting them evenly.
           Step 2: Take one end of each slice and use a rubber band to keep them together.  If you are using string then you would wrap the string a couple times around the end, do a couple normal knots, wrap a few more times and tie a few more times. Make sure it is tied nice and tight!
           Step 3: Start Braiding. **Tip**I attach a safety pin to the material where the rubber band is then attach it to a pillow to hold the material in one place as I braid. Use the 2^nd rubber band or string to finish the braid.

 

          Step 4: Insert the tacks into a few different weaves throughout the braid. The tighter the braid the more difficult this is to do, however as I said before, this makes it sturdier.

          Step 5: Now just tack it to the wall and stick in the pins! Have fun with this and be creative, and please share you work! I am very interested to see what you come up with! **Tip** For heavier items, I like to place the pins near the tacks for more support.

Check Back in Soon for a Machine Washable Coaster!