things I've been working on

On Saturday I showed this before any stitching, and here it is finished! Well, actually I still need to rinse away the blue markings.

This is one of the new embroidery patterns that I've been working on. It is a new set of Teeny Tiny patterns, and there are are 15 Creepy Crawlies in the set, plus a bug keeper and a magnifying glass. I've been planning these out since November, so I'm very happy that they are finally here!

The Teeny Tiny Creepy Crawlies aren't just for embroidery though. There are also printable lists...and...

Bingo! This may be my favorite item that I've created as of late. It's a printable set of cards, pieces and markers. We've been playing it around here, and it's a whole lot of buggy fun.

The Sweet Treats are another cute collection. These are the printable lists, plus there will be embroidery patterns (not stitched yet!), and a new item in the shop:


Printable Calling Cards! They are set up for adding your own information, which means you can change them for different uses. I can't wait to start using mine! (And I'm not sure why I haven't set up cards like this for myself earlier!)

My hope is to have all of these fun things (plus maybe a few others?) added to the shop on Thursday night, but I don't have a final plan yet. I will, however, be letting the Mailing A-List know exactly when things will be available, and there just may be a special freebie sent out as well. If you aren't on the list, you can sign up in the sidebar!

sponsor giveaway: winners

I want to go on record as saying that 28 days is too short for any month. 30 is questionable, but 31 is best. There is just not enough time right now and I'm struggling to keep my head above water. Let's just say, if you're waiting on something from me right now, there's a good chance that I'll be late with it, and will feel terrible.

The good news is that I have some winners from last week's giveaways! I was so pleased with the response to these, and am so thankful to Bean and Stacey for their willingness to give away such lovely items. Now, Random.org has spoken!

Congratulations to Miss Paula and Tanya! We'll be contacting you about your prizes very soon. Thank you so much to everyone who entered!

Maybe, maybe, maybe I'll be back later tonight with some more peeks at things that I've been working on. Maybe.

help wanted and a peek

Hopefully, next week there will be an update in my shop. I've been working on new designs, new types of items, and more. And I am VERY excited about this update, even if it has been overwhelming me a little. So today I've been testing some things out, and getting ready to do a bunch of stitching. (See the peek above!) Yay!

But I need a little help, and I know that you are all always ready to lend a hand. For this test project, I need five people. Here are some things that I am looking for in a tester:

-You need to have Adobe Acrobat software (it's free!).
-You need to have a working printer.
-You need to be able to test and get back to me within 48 hours.
-Folks with long names and/or email addresses are a plus!

If you are interested, leave me a comment with your name and a way to contact you. I'll send you the file to test by Sunday night.

UPDATE: I think that I have enough people to test things. If that changes, I'll update here again. Thank you!

Oh, and don't miss the giveaways from yesterday. They are super sweet!

sponsor giveaway: morning by morning

One more post today on behalf of my sponsor Stacey! She loves vintage Pyrex and she's got a special piece picked out for one lucky reader. And even better still, she's filled it with embroidery floss!


Here are the details...
The Dish: Dandelion Divided Dish - it is from 1959!
The Floss: 35 different colors!


Do you know how difficult it is to not enter myself in this giveaway? If you'd like a chance at this fantastic prize, go visit Stacey at Morning by Morning. Leave her a nice little comment, then come back here and leave a comment with your name and a way to contact you. The giveaway will remain open until this Monday at noon.

Oh, and I feel terrible, because I realized today that Stacey was left out of the post where we shared what we would work on and with whom. Sorry, dear! Here's her response:

One of my many goals for this year is to sew more! My project would definitely be to create a beautiful quilt with the lovely Emily, Jeni and Jamie!

Thanks for the great giveaway, Stacey!

edit: There have been a few folks looking for where to leave a comment for Stacey. Not all of her posts have comments enabled, but most do. Just look for a post that lists comments at the end. Thanks!

sponsor diy: sunrise folk

Today my sponsors are sharing some fun things, and Daphne is here with her very first tutorial (and it's a cute one)! Please welcome her!

Hello everyone! My name is Daphne, from Sunrise Folk, and Mollie has graciously allowed me to share a little tutorial with you today. I love to re-purpose things and I also love to send little packages of goodies every now and then to friends and family. This recycled packaging helps me do both! We all have this stuff laying around our house, so why not get one more use out of it before it hits the recycle bin? Grab that empty cereal box and some tape, and let's get started!

You'll need:
cardboard boxes (cereal, granola bar, rice, etc. - but don't forget to think outside the "box" too - a band-aid box works just as well!)
brown paper bag (optional - if you'd prefer to wrap your box)
scissors
tape (scotch tape and packing tape)
markers
embroidery floss

When we have used up the contents of a box here at our house I open the bottom, fold it flat and store it in this magazine holder. That way, I don't have to eat 5 bowls of cereal on mail day to get an empty box - I've got some already stored away!

This first part is the brown paper method. I find it takes a bit longer, but who doesn't like brown paper packages tied up with string??

Step 1: If you're using a de-constructed box, be sure to tape the bottom back together. Fill with goodies and tape the top closed as well.

Step 2: Cut your brown paper bag open. I like to cut along one of the side creases to the end and then follow the crease around the bottom (basically cutting the bottom from the sides) then discard the bottom piece.

Step 3: Lay your box on the paper and wrap it like the present it is!

Step 4: Tape. Of course. My mom should be explaining this section, she is a heavy duty taper!

Step 5: We all have little bits and ends of floss hanging around. Come on now, I know you do! Now you have a (re)use for them too. I just tied several together with square knots to get a piece long enough to go around the package. Wouldn't a braid be pretty too?

Step 6: Decorate the paper with those markers and address your pretty packaging!

I prefer the inside-out method. It's a bit less time consuming and how I do most of my packages.

We just take the box apart at the side seam, turn it inside out, and tape it back together (inside out). That's it!

It's really easy! Now you have a nice clean slate to decorate and label.

Now get out there and send some re-cycled goodness!

Thanks, Daphne! I'm a huge fan of saving boxes for re-use, but I haven't packaged things this way before, and I can't wait to try it!

sponsor giveaway: everyday critter

Happy Friday! Today a few of my sponsors have some lovely things to share with you, so you get not one, not two, but three posts in one day! What a way to start the weekend! So, let's start with something fun from Bean!

Hi Wild Olive Readers!

This is Bean from Everyday Critter. I just started my blog at the beginning of the year and am already having such fun. I am making an animal themed craft everyday of 2011. My newest endeavor is learning to make softies. I think I had two turn out cutely and one...well, one I learned a lot from. I'd like to give away one of my first attempts.

You could win Scooter the Cat or Ching-yuan the Bun-bun

To enter to win, go to Everyday Critter and look through my critters. Come back here and comment on which critter I made that you like best. A random winner will be chosen from the comments and you can pick which of the two softies you'd like me to send you.

Thanks so much, Bean! This giveaway will remain open through Monday at Noon CST, so be sure to enter and spread the word. Who wouldn't want one of these cute critters?! Eeep!

paying tribute with my art

When you look at the things that I make, the embroidered motifs, printable cards, projects made from felt, it would be easy to see fun, cute little things that are just that. Fun and cute. And you wouldn't be off with that idea. I make a point of trying to make sweet little things that bring a smile to people's faces. But often, there is more to what you see.

A set of illustrations usually starts with a theme. Sometimes the theme is random...something that I think would just be fun. Many times it is something that is important to me, for whatever reason. Then, once the drawings start coming, some are ones that just make sense for the theme. Many are drawn because they remind me of someone or something that I love.

Look closely at these photos and you'll see what they are really about:





A cuckoo clock like Papa's. Dad's favorite Christmas treat. A cookie cut from Great-Grandma Mollie's cookie cutter. My brother's favorite sport. A pecan roll like Nanny used to make.

These are just a few examples. The Virtues patterns that I post here on occasion are some more obvious examples, but my designs are full of them, hidden away in places that sometimes even I barely notice. I put pieces of the people that I love and the things that are important to me and to culture into my work. It's a way that I can remember them. Pay tribute to them. Honor them.

I recently heard an interview with Sufjan Stevens (yes, I mentioned him yesterday too), and he said that he does this same thing with his songs. If you listen to his music, this can come as no surprise. He didn't just take inspiration from a state or an eccentric artist...he honored them. How wonderful!

Last month I was drawing up some red things for the Pattern of the Month Club, and one of the things that I started thinking about was red wolves. Why? Because it's in a song lyric from none other than Sufjan. Animals are still not one of the things that I'm very comfortable drawing, but I gave it a try. After all, why not honor a song from a favorite musician who honors others?

Here's my "sleeping red wolf", which I've not yet stitched. If you would like to use it for some quick embroidery, please help yourself to the pattern.

Maybe it seems funny, given the fact that I draw things with faces on them, but I really do take all of this quite seriously. Just typing that makes me think that I'm probably crazier than even I thought, but there it is.

Things are better with faces, and they are made even better when there is a special meaning given to each of them.

the story of: working together

Each month this year, I'm featuring a story here, and each month I ask my sponsors a question that relates to that story. Well this time around, I really liked how, in the Bremen Town Musicians, a group of individuals came together to create, and the results were far better than any one of them could have achieved.

I've said it before, and you'll hear me say it again (read it again?), but I have found such joy in collaborating with others. This is different from working with a client where you are doing what they ask. This is working together to create something great.

In his recent song, Impossible Soul, Sufjan Stevens sings "we can do much more together. It's not so impossible." I love it. So with this in mind, I asked my sponsors:

If you could work on a project with a group of other bloggers/crafters, what kind of project would it be, and who would you choose to work on it with you?

Here's what I heard from them:
I would love to work on a web design project with Srsly Liz, Pugly Pixel (Powered by Pastries), and LA & The Freckled Nest Team
-Cristina, Craftee


If I could work on a project with any blogger/crafters, it would be with Maya of Maya Made and Blair from Wise Craft and Yasmine from Cat vs. Human bc she just gets it! I'd want to make a big homey cat shelter/studio space -- with Maya's superior eco-craftness she showed with her mom's converted barn studio and Blair's flair for style and Yasmine's cat knowledge, I think we would make the most perfect artist's studio/cat ranch. ;) Too bad we are all in way different cities!
-Amina, Of Cats and Crafts

I would love to work an online craft-a-long (craft night) where people could be crafting at someone's craft store or home, and we could live stream it. Then other people at home could join in, chat, and even add their own photos and videos! A state/national craft night! I would have do something like this with talented ladies like Pip from Meet Me At Mikes, Holly from Two Cheese Please, and Amanda from Calico & Co!
-Talia, Life's Visual Journal

Had to sit and think about this awhile, but the more I pondered, the more wonderful this little get-together sounded. For the collaboration, we would most definitely need(italics) to get-together in person, preferably somewhere by the sea, of course...to plan and host a Party! What is this party for, you ask? Well, I answer, do you really need a reason for a crafty party? I didn't think so. ;) This lovely party would be co-hosted by Natalie Chanin who would help us all sew our own gorgeous dresses by hand; Anna Maria Horner who would bring vibrant color and patterns to contrast Natalie's muted and classic style (and not just in the dresses but the whole shebang); and Jessica Fediw with her fabulous and thrifty decorating/hosting skills to tie the whole thing together. So, who's in?

Making stuff together with friends is not just about the end result. It's about the hang-time, the laughter and the sharing of stories. If I could work on a project with three creative ladies (I have to pick only three!?!) I would just deee-light in getting together to design patterns, make clothing and and create fabric designs with these three women: Julie from Joy's Hope. She is creative, has an awesome sense of color and an ability to encourage people. Her story and her life are an inspiration. Heck, I'd just love to hang out with Julie. Rae from Made by Rae. She is a gifted sewer and an all-around creative woman. I love her tutorials for baby clothes! Chelsea from Pink Fig. I love the way she combines fabric colors & designs in clothing. It's a bit like quilting meets scrapbooking, the way she mixes and matches colors & patterns. Hang time and crafty goodness all rolled into one with these creative ladies, I think we'd have a party!
-Andee, Bearing Fruit

If I could choose a project to do with anyone, I think I would choose Casey from Elegant Musings, and Gertie from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing, and I would want to put together a diy vintage 1930's dress kit.
-Nichole, I Was Only Stitching

I would love to work on some sort of charity event that would benefit a children's hospital. I would very much like to work with Tara from Sew Tara because I like how creative she is (as well as her sense of humor), Lindsay from the Cottage Home, because I love her designs, and how well made they are, and the artist behind How Stinking Cute because her items are, simply put, just stinking cute!
Isabela, Ooh Leela!

I'm working on a blog makeover with Freckled Nest and can't wait to see how that turns out. It was great fun creating a PDF pattern with Mollie last year and I'd love to attempt that with someone again, probably involving fabric scraps since I'm on a missing to make use of all those odds and ends this year. I'd also like to connect in person with some of the local crafty ladies I've learned to love during the course of my blog like Cristina from Craftee (we email each other regularly) and Thursday from MyGirlThursday. I love her vintage style, how she manages it all with a little one at home and I had no idea she was so close!

Thank you ladies! I can see some amazing creative possibilities here! Now, how about you? If you could work on something with a group of bloggers, who would it be and what would you work on?

the story of: the bremen town musicians puppets

When I shared the story of the Bremen Town Musicians the other day, I included some pictures I took of the characters in shadow puppets. They are really easy to make, and I've got some templates and simple instructions so that you can make them too!

Download the PDF to make your own shadow puppets!

Oh, and I wanted to add that making simple, non-moving shadow puppets of any kind is as easy as this: Find a photo with a strong shape or silhouette. Trace around it, and cut from black paper. Now you can make do a puppet show of just about anything!

For a lovely look at more complex shadow puppets, specifically those for use in film, be sure to check out Annekata's recent post. So charming!

make: a guitar strap tag

My brother recently got a guitar. I won't go into how jealous I am of the fact that he plays really, really well and has never had a lesson. Instead, I've directed my energy into making something for his guitar, which we have named "Swarley". (If you watch "How I Met Your Mother" you might catch that reference...) So what did I make?

A tag for his guitar strap! It's just two pieces of canvas and two pieces of wool felt sewn together on the sides, but it adds a little something fun to his guitar.

I wrote "Swarley" with my water-soluble embroidery pen, then stitched it all up. Rarely do I get the chance to stitch something big and bold like this, so I went for a chain stitch on the letters. Um. I don't like chain stitching. It looks pretty, but I get all twisted with it.

After I finally got through that, I added some running and back stitches around the letters. I love the extra dimension of it.

On a second piece of canvas, I sewed a little felt pocket to hold extra picks. Cute, right?

I stitched the ends together for each side, then sewed the sides together. This part was done on the sewing machine. Because they were straight seams and I can handle that.

My brother likes it, and I think it's a fun way to dress up Swarley!

pinned: colorful things to make

Source: luvinthemommyhood.com via Mollie on Pinterest

I was absolutely warned that Pintrest would be both a useful/helpful thing, and a time robber. And both of these things are true. But I've found some really lovely projects that I want to make, and I thought you might want to check them out too. They all have some really great colors!

Mustache Coasters (see above).

T-shirt Scarf.

Cardigan Clips.

Fabric Scrap Tags.

Back soon with something that I've been making for my brother!

forming a color palette

One of my goals for this year was to create a signature color palette. And I'm happy to say that I have my colors chosen! I started out with a few colors that I love, and added on, considering the types of things that I work on, and what types of hues I would need. This was my first grouping:

The brights are my favorites. I just love their springy-ness. I can see using these in a lot of ways. Essentially, it's a rainbow, but in specific tints. But there are still plenty of times when these wouldn't work. So I took this palette and made two more:


Now I've got three separate palettes to work with, and each has its own character and feel. I love that. But here's the best part. Because these additional palettes are based on the original, you can put them all together:

Yes! 23 colors and I can mix and match them as I need. I do almost all of my work in Adobe Illustrator, so I created the palettes there, and saved them so that I can pull up my new signature colors any time. Now my next step is to get an accurate print of these, and go find all of the DMC floss colors to match!

Oh, and I'm still keeping myself open. If something comes up that needs a different color, I can use it. Or if I find that I need to adjust some of these, I'll do it. But having this guide to work within is so wonderful.

What do you think? Did I choose the right colors for "me"?

today

It has been a day of trying to get some things taken care of, and even though you never really get as much done as you hope, progress has been made. Here's a little rundown:

- I cleared out about 6 percent of my old email. This sounds small, but it it's a very full Gmail account.

- The clothes waiting to be put away, are at last, put away.

- Pintrest has me hooked, and I'm enjoying building boards of inspiration. Find me here.

- A trip to the Post Office reminded me that I do love the patient and kind people that work at the small branch my me.

- My desk went from huge mess to really large mess. (Yes, that's an improvement.)

- We ate some yummy chicken salad sandwiches on hamburger buns, which I made last night. (see photo for proof of this homemade goodness!)

- I realized that February has been flying by and I have some deadlines looming. Yikes.

How has your Saturday been? I hope well. Now, I think I had better continue with this progress that I'm making!

sweet treats

I've been working on some new things this week, and I think they'll find their way to the shop in another week or so. Among the new items are a collection of Sweet Treats, and you can get one of the patterns free on Danielle's blog! Go visit her and her very sweet feature of me, and download a little cream puff.

More peeks of things to come will be showing up here very soon!

vintage craft: pin-money

Vintage supplies and hand craft of all kinds make me happy. But the thing that I love most of all? Old craft kits for kids. They are my weakness. I love the packaging, I love the lack of safety, I love the cuteness. Seriously. And I love that today I can show you something that is not so easy to find.

Pin-Money. This was my mom's kit and she tells me that she LOVED it. And now it's mine! The kit came from Longwood Products Company in Chicago, but I've not been able to find other information about them. Take a look at this box and how they describe the kit. It's as if you could buy this and go into business!

I especially love the "educational and profitable" part. Oh yeah, and that sweet bird! But what exactly does this kit have inside?


Not much now. This was a set that was well used, and most likely the other molds were ruined or just lost. But I'll tell you about them. The molds are soft plastic, almost like rubber. They are for molding plaster! Originally, the kit included four molds, and all of the supplies you need. My mom thinks that I could safely use the one mold that is left...although, I'm a little nervous about wrecking it.

The book that is here (painted by my mom!) has a look at the other items that were available:



Yep. I want everything. Unfortunately, these babies are hard to find. I think the molds may have deteriorated with time and use. So sad. But I did splurge and buy a mold that I just found on Etsy. (I told you, these kinds of things are my weakness!)