calendar: print and post for june

See my neat and tidy computer desktop all ready for June? It's a lie. I cleaned it just for you. And if I had zoomed out, you would have seen my actual desk, which is downright frightening. Zoom out further and you'd see the room which surrounds my desk, which is scarier still.

The fact is, things get messy around here, and June is a very full, potentially very big month for me, so this space is likely to get messier. That's just how it is. At least my computer looks pretty!

Want to fancy up your screen? Grab a June calendar for your computer, iPhone or iPad, and soon you'll be smiling like the sunshine!

Download the 2560x1440 Wallpaper.
Download the 1920x1280 Wallpaper.
Download the 1280x800 Wallpaper.
Download the iPhone Wallpaper.
Download the iPad Wallpaper.

Prefer the analog method? Download the printable version, and tack it up on your bulletin board!

Download the PDF Printable June Calendar.

japanese book review: cute felt mascots

Last week, I shared a book from my Japanese craft book collection that was called "Felt Mascots", this week I have "Cute Felt Mascots". Hmm...I'm pretty sure that the things in that last book were cute too...

Truth is, today's book might just be cuter.

The ISBN for this one is 9784837423687. There's a listing for it on YesAsia.com or find it on Amazon Japan, where they list the title as We Felt Pretty Small. They even have a revised version, which looks like it has projects that my book doesn't have!



There are mini felt houses with story book characters...so cute!



Little felt elephants...very cute!





Sweet felt frames, bags and oven mitts...really cute!



And then there's the Christmas goodies! Merry cute!

There's lots more to love in this book, like some felt-covered magnets, placemats, tags and more. But I try not to show too many pages...after all, even if these books are hard to find, I want to respect the authors. (You understand, I trust.)

I've got two more books to share...so two more weeks of japanese craft books...then maybe I turn to making things from the books!

Have you reviewed any craft books on your blog? Share a link with us!

project: vinyl (and neon!) zip pouch

A simple zip pouch is a handy thing to have. They are useful for all kinds of things, from lip gloss and cash to game pieces and snacks. This particular pouch makes it easy to see what's inside AND it allows you to jump on the neon trend, without going too bright and crazy!

Working with vinyl can be a little tricky, because you don't want to pin it and leave holes in the material. Likewise, every stitch you take had better be the right one! Still, it's fun and it doesn't need to be hemmed, making it perfect for me and my love of raw edges.



Here's what you need:
Clear vinyl (I'm using a heavier weight, but thinner would work too)
Zipper (any size)
Embroidery floss (mine is neon-like colors, not the slick stuff)
A sharp needle

The size and proportions on this bag are completely flexible. Cut the vinyl into a piece that is the total width of your zipper (not just the zippy part!), and twice as tall as you want your final pouch to be.




Using all six strands of embroidery floss, stitch the vinyl to the underside of the zipper. Knot at each end.



Using a second color of embroidery floss (if you'd like) stitch the other end of the vinyl to the underside of the second side of the zipper.

Work with the right sides out, because you won't be able to turn the bag without crunching the vinyl (You might not be able to turn it at all, depending on the size of your pouch!) This is a bit more tricky than you'd expect, because the zipper is held together at one end, but you can do it!

If you're having a hard time keeping the vinyl in place while you stitch, try painter's tape to hold it.




Now, stitch down the sides and knot it at the bottom. You can wrap the floss around the folded vinyl, like shown.




Now you've got a pouch ready to fill with goodies!



Like some embroidery supplies!





While we're on the topic, did you know you can embroider on clear vinyl? It's one of the materials that we worked with in the first online class that I taught, which is now in my shop as a PDF class.

pattern: grumpy grill

Happy Memorial Day to my fellow Americans! This is a big day for picnics and gatherings and...grilling!

To celebrate, download the Grumpy Grill pattern from my Bar-B-Cute set, and do some stitching while you're waiting for your burger to be ready!

Grumpy Grill Embroidery Pattern PDF

Of course, this pattern works for more than just Memorial Day. Get a head start on Independence Day, or just stitch up an apron for the grill master at your house!

And I'd love to see what you've made. You can add photos of your finished projects to the Wild Olive Flickr group!

we're praying

Sundays on Wild Olive are a point of prayer. Please pause, leave a prayer request, and pray with us.

We're praying for any and all requests and praises we need to bring before the Lord, but let's all remember today especially to pray for those who have lost loved ones. The Great Comforter is ready to do His job.

snapshot saturday // up close and personal

I have learned that taking step-by-step photos often involves detail shots. After cropping my photos in close for a while now, this week I broke down and bought a macro lens. Now, I'm in close up heaven. It even makes dragon toys look pretty!

PS: It's thanks to you that I could justify treating myself to this! As in, I NEED it to take pictures so that my readers can make things!

have you heard

Have You Heard? Actually, that's not a question, that's the title of a little event happening on A Blackbird's Epiphany! Kim is doing a business card swap that's perfect for Etsy sellers!

I've always loved the idea of this sort of thing, but since I've almost always sold digital products, I've never been able to participate in a swap like this. But basically, the idea is that you include cards from another seller in with the items you're shipping out, and they do the same with your cards. What a simple way to help out your fellow sellers!

If you've got a shop to promote, go sign up!



For now, I'll stick to my blogger calling cards, which I keep handy at all times. I've even been working on some new Crafty Characters cards! (They're not in the shop yet, but will be soon!)

Maybe we need a blogging card swap...or at least a way to share your favorite blogs with your "real life" friends. Hmm...I'll have to work on that.

project: hexagon pincushion

Last Saturday, I had a little Stitch Together for blog friends to come and meet up and make something fun. I wanted it to be fairly simple, because we only had a short time to work, plus there would be plenty of chatting to distract us.

So I put together a little pincushion that could be hand stitched, and have a place for embroidery. My two favorite crafty things! You can make your own, start to finish, in an hour or so, depending on how much embroidery you want to add.

I've now made three of these (they're so fun!), and my latest has an Eagle from my Holiday Jordnöts embroidery pattern. He's looking quite patriotic, which sounded good for a summer pincushion.

Here's what you need:
Fabric
Embroidery floss
Sewing/quilting thread
Rice
Pins
Scissors
Needle
Hexagons printed on card stock



Embroider a design onto your fabric. Make sure the pattern fits within the hexagon template.



Pin a hexagon template onto the wrong side of the fabric, and trim the fabric to be 3/8 inch larger on all sides. Fold each edge in, and secure at the corners with a stitch of regular thread, as show in the photo. Try not to catch the template with your stitches...you'll thank me later.

You need to make a front, which is the embroidered side, and a back. (You only need two hexagon templates, but there are extras in the PDF.)



Finger press the edges, then carefully remove the templates. Pin the two fabric hexagons, wrong sides together.



Using embroidery floss and teeny running stitches, sew around the outside of the hexagons. Leave one edge open for filling.



Fill the pincushion with rice. Fill it some more. When you think you've got it as packed as you can, shake it down, and add more rice. Seriously...you'll get a lot more in there than you think you can, and you want it very full and firm.



Sew the last edge closed, and you're set to go.




There are lots of other things you can use to fill a pincushion, but the rice seems to work really well. And I like that, because it means that I don't have to go and buy any special supplies! (Plus, you may have noticed that I've been drawn to rice in my crafts in recent months...not sure where that came from, but I expect it will continue for a while!)



If you weren't able to come out last week, at least now you can craft along and enjoy part of the fun. Make it more authentic with friends from near you, a cool beverage, and some fondue!

japanese book review: felt mascot

Today's post almost wasn't. Yesterday my internet was out for most of the day (yes, I was going all kinds of jittery crazy), and I was resigned to the fact that I wasn't going to get this post set up. Still, I edited my photos and had them ready to upload just in case. And then...yaaaaaayyyy! The internet returned!

Enough about my very long Tuesday...how about some Japanese craft?!

This week's book is filled with some very cute felt items, and according to Google Translate and YesAsia.com, the book title is Felt Mascot. This seems to be a popular title...so I'm guessing there's a subtitle that I'm just not finding. Ah, well.

The ISBN for this is 9784529040761, but as far as I know, it's not widely available now. You can find it on Amazon in Japan, but watch out for shipping!





Here's the funny thing about this book. Based on the cover, you'd think it would be filled with cute little characters to make. And it is...but there's also a lot of things that are in a completely different style from what's prominently featured on the front.

There's lots of felt food and even some cookware and appliances in here, and they are really quite amazing. Still...not exactly what you might expect if you were to just order this without much information.

That's okay, there's also some very sweet extra animals in here...like these finger puppets!




Oh yeah, and if you've ever wanted to make a miniature felt bathroom, this book tells you how to do just that!




And we reach the end. But sometimes, this becomes just as fun, because you get to see a few more books that are available to search out! If you want to see the additional titles, I've left this last image extra-large. Just click it to go through to Flickr and view all sizes.

Would you believe that I've had this for years, and never made anything from it? Oh dear. Do you do this? Buy books and patterns and then do nothing with them? (I think we all do sometimes...) Maybe once I get through showing all of these books, I should start making one thing a week from them. Or maybe I'll start with one a month...

stitch together pics

On Saturday morning, I hosted a little Stitch Together for folks in the area, and we had a very lovely time embroidering, eating fondue, chatting, and sipping cool beverages.

Posts like this make me feel like a bad blogger, because I really didn't take many photos. In fact, if I hadn't brought my sister along, there wouldn't have been any! But take a peek at the fun we had, then come back Thursday, when I'll share how to make the pincushions we made together!








Some folks were stitching for the very first time (there was a collective gasp in the room when that was announced!), some brought their very organized embroidery floss, and we had baby Nora to entertain us when we weren't stitching!



Supplies all over, chocolate, and new friends? Yes, please!