Quilt Blocks Projects

Just thought I’d share a couple of things I’ve made recently with my Quilt Blocks fabric. Above is a dress from Kwik Sew 3905. Oh, and The Fat Quarter Shop asked me to participate in their Designer Tidbits series, so you can read about my collection and my love of Ralph Furley. (I realize that this reference is lost on many of you, and just as well, really.)

And below is a fast little project I made with a Moleskine journal and a bit of a block that I ended up not using. Ten minutes. I love sewing on these cardboard journals. And you can even make your own, like I did a few years ago.

Handmade in Atlanta

I’ve been meaning to write about a new handmade shop that opened here in Atlanta recently. The Indie-pendent is a space committed to a handmade lifestyle, featuring work from some of my favorite artists.

Beth Lord, the owner of the store, has created a warm and welcoming space in this amazing location. She sells high-quality work from artisans from all over the country whose work is not found elsewhere in Atlanta. Wares include jewelry, baby items, furniture, ceramics, pillows, scarves, and more. The shop is a huge space with an amazing workshop on the second floor where there will be classes on canning, knitting, felting, photography, kids’ crafts, gardening, sewing, and more!

Photo above and image on bottom left below by Laura Malek.

And good news for those of you outside of Atlanta — you can order from the Indie-pendent online! If you’re in Atlanta, the shop is in Virginia Highland (in the former Knitch space down the alley off St. Charles). Now there are three spaces dedicated to handmade just within a few blocks: Ten Thousand VillagesYoungblood Gallery & Boutique, and now the Indie-pendent. And if you head down Moreland not too far away, you can visit The Beehive and make a lovely day of handmade shopping!

 

Fabric Pendant

Head over to CRAFT and check out my quick tutorial for making this fabric pendant necklace. Quite a few of you have asked where I got the frame. I bought it from this Etsy shop, but I would love to find a shop that sells these in sterling silver.

Earth Day Crafts

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you may wonder why I don’t write about crafts with my kids as much these days. Well, they are getting older and I am busier, but they are still making things constantly, mostly on their own now. I need to share more of their creations. But almost all of their craft projects are made from recycled materials. I just heard one of my daughters the other day trading something with the other for a large cardboard box that had come in the mail. My older daughter has a “Main Street” running through her room with her cardboard houses and stores for her Bebichhichi dolls. And the younger one had a friend over for a playdate to make cardboard Barbie cruise ships. Cardboard and a little imagination goes a long way, as we saw with Caine’s Arcade.

Anyway, for Earth Day I thought I’d share some of our crafts from the past using recycled materials. Pictured above:

Cap Stamps

Clothesline Caddy

T-shirt Weaving

Cereal Box Journals

Paper Globes

Melted Vinyl Bowls

Plantable Paper

Firefly Jars

Sweater Flowers