Embossed Oly-Fun Bookmarks!

I'm so excited to share with you this new Metallic Oly-Fun Fabric from Fairfield!
 I have used their colorful fabrics in many projects and just love the ease of it's use.

Whats great is that the Metallic Oly*Fun™ is a Multi-Purpose Craft Material.
To add shimmer, sparkle, and shine. Easy to cut and sew.  Does not fray.
Can be sewn, glued, stapled, tied, knitted, crocheted and more!
 Great for indoor and outdoor decor!

To make bookmarks like these, you will need the following:

• Metallic Oly-Fun fabric
• Scissors and or paper trimmer
• Any die cutting machine
• Die cutting platform and plates
• Any embossing folders
• Brightly colored permanent markers
• Wide double stick tape or spray adhesive
• Cereal box cardboard

1. Trim your cereal boxes to the actual size of the embossing folders.
2. Glue the metallic fabric to each cardboard with the tape or adhesive.

3. Get creative with small squares and strips.

4. Following directions on the platform, place the covered cardstock in your folders and run through the machine. Play around with how you want the embossed design to be, raised or depressed.
5. Color the embossed designs with your markers.
6. Use your scissors or paper trimmer to cut the bookmarks.

 I absolutely love anything metallic and I use a lot of it in my Mexican Folk Art projects!

 

 Please visit The Designers Craft Connection page to see the rest of the designers idea's and to enter for your chance to win a bolt in the metallic color of your choice!

Are you on Face Book? Like my page for more great idea's like this!

How to make a Sugar Skull - Day of the Dead Wreath!

 Its no surprise to anyone that I love all things to do with Mexican folklore,
especially Day of the Dead! 
I love the vibrant colors, rich history and stories!
I grew up eating the foods and visiting the museums.
In honor of Día de Muertos  I am showing you how to make a easy, new sew wreath with a little help from Fairfield World , the makers of  Olyfun!


To make this wreath, you will need the following:

1. Assorted Olyfun colors.
2. Felt strips.
3. 12" Wire wreath.
4. Gloves
5. 22 Gauge wire
6. Jewelry pliers
7. Fringe, pinking and regular scissors.
8. 1 " Halloween skulls
9. White spray paint
10. Fine and standard tip-colored permanent markers.
11. Embellishments and adhesive.

•  Trim your Olyfun to 3"x12". Plan on making 10 flowers each of at least 6 colors. 
• Cut a fringe half way into each strip.
• Roll up the fringed strip, then leave a 4" tail of the wire and wrap tightly around as shown. Let out about 4" of wire and keep wrapping. Repeating as you go.

•  Trim the wire so each flower has the 4" tail. Twist the ends.

• Keep going until you have wrapped all the colors.

 

•  Starting with the darkest color, push the flower into the wreath and wrap the wire in and out of the frame until secure. Use the gloves to keep the wire ends from scratching you.

•  Stagger the colors at first, then group them as a collection. Fill in empty spaces with extra flowers.
• Don't worry if your wire is exposed.

• When you are done adding all the flowers, make up some filler with 5" strips of colorful felt.
• Fold in half and twist with about 4" of wire.
• Work these into the wreath.
• Use your pinking shears to trim plenty of ½" x 5" black strips of Olyfun. Tie these anywhere there is a open space or wire is exposed.

•  Spray paint the skulls white.
• When dry and the paint is not tacky, color the skulls with your markers. 
• Then add glitter and tiny rhinestones.

•  Find inspiration to color your sugar skulls online or here.

•  Attach sugar skulls to your wreath with wire or a hot glue gun.

•  Add a loop of wire onto the back of your wreath and hang for all to enjoy!

Please visit the rest of the designers for more Olyfun inspiration here!

Make a Feather Decorated Pillow with Oly-Fun!

 OK, so this month some craft designers and I have teamed up with Fairfield World, the makers of Oly-Fun.


 I first discovered Oly-Fun at CHA earlier this year and fell in LOVE with this versatile fabric!
You can sew it, glue it, staple it, pin it or tie it. You can write on it, paint it, embellish it, stamp it or stencil it. You can scissor, rotary, or die cut it. The only thing it won’t do is fray, tear, or fade. It's water resistant for outdoor decorations and you can spot clean it.
Plus you don't need to pre-wash it.
Yea!

Everyone knows I LOVE to sew.
It's therapeutic, fun, relaxing.Like painting but with fabric.
But I don't really follow rules or patterns. I usually make it up as I work, taking notes as I create in case something turns out really fantastic.

I hope you find my tutorial easy enough and are inspired to make your own! I really love how these pillows turned out and hope you like them too!

 Materials:

1. Oly-Fun Craft Pack in Snow White, Jelly, Kiwi and Sea Green.
2. Poly-Fil Fiber Fill
3. Pre-washed fabrics.
4. Coordinating colorful threads plus one in metallic gold.
5. Sewing machine and accessories.
6. Sewing mat and ruler.
7. Scissors and a rotary cutter.
8. Permanent black marker.
9. Thin cardboard or a cereal box.

My tutorial is how to make a pillow and a pillow cover that can be changed out according to styles and seasons!

 1. With the Snow White, you will need (2) 10"x10" squares for each pillow you plan to make. Stitch  1/4" all the way around on your sewing machine, leaving a 4"-5" opening , large enough for your hand to fit through while adding the Fiber Fill. You want to make sure to push the stuffing into the corners. How much you add to each pillow is up to you. Just remember that you still need to stitch the opening shut- use the sewing machine- way easier than by hand.

2. Each Pillow Case will need to measure 15"x 25" total. You can use one solid piece of fabric or mix it up as I did here. Use your rotary cutter and ruler to get a clean straight cut. Bind the ends of the fabric however you want. I just folded by 1/2" then I stitched them on the machine.

3 & 4. Place your fabric face down onto your sewing mat. Next place your pillow on that and bring up the fabric as shown. Somewhat loose but not tight. You need to have some space allowance for sewing and later inserting the pillow. Set aside.

 5. Draw a 8" feather onto your cardboard. Cut out.
Feel free to use my design. :)
Trace your feather template onto your colorful Oly-Fun. You'll  need (2) cutouts per feather.
6. On the pillow you set aside, flip over and mark the corners near the fabric edge with the marker. This will give you a idea of the space needed for the feathers.

7. Unfold the fabric and lay flat. Arrange your feathers to your liking. *Remember that you need 2 per each feather to make this work.

 If desired, use pins to hold them in place while you sew or just wing it like I did. :)

8. Start at the top of the feather and stitch down, following the curve of the feather.

9. When you get to the tip, turn it around and stitch back up. Be care free with the stitching. Use lots of bright colors that match your feathers and fabrics. I used orange, lime, fushia and turquoise threads. Lastly accent all the feathers with the metallic gold thread. It really does add that special sparkle. Perfect!

 10 & 11. Lay your fabric flat again, now with the sewn on feathers. Remember those pen marks you made? Use them to gauge where to fold the fabric up.
12. Stitch sides on the sewing machine. Just a simple stitch up, then a simple stitch down.
13. Turn case inside out, using your fingers to push out the corners. Then use the sewing machine to stitch the sides again. Once up, once down. Super easy. :)

 14 & 15. Place the pillow inside the case as shown.
16. How easy is that? And such a nice clean finish!
17. Now you are ready for the best part! Yea! Are you excited? 

 18. Cut your feathers at a angle. Use your non cutting hand to keep the feathers away from the pillow case fabric as you cut. Go slow and be careful not to snip any center stitches.

 When you are all done, ruffle the feathers lightly and enjoy your colorful creation!
Final pillow size- 12" x 12".
Share with me your take on this, I'd love to see it! Drop me a line here or find me on FB.
Save with Fairfield and Oly-Fun until the end of June with this 20% off coupon.
 use code: AMYCOUP

Are you ready for more inspiration? Visit the Designer Crafts Connection blog for more pillow fun!
 

Thanks for coming by!
- Michelle