The Easter Cherub

I have a mini-tutorial using Craft Attitude  to share with you today!    It is a bit of a 'twist' on the regular 'pastel themed' decorated eggs and bunny.  My muse decided to fashion  a lovely little cherub with bunny ears and feathered wings, who is painting stipes on  rose petals  (I think Alice in Wonderland jumped into her mind along the way!) amidst a cluster of jeweled Easter eggs.   

Here's everything you will need:

Supply List

1 sheet of Craft Attitude (you can buy it at Amazon or HSN

1 sheet of embossed paper

Embroidery thread

Two tiny feathers (optional) - you can buy these by the bag at Michael's

Seed beads

UHU glue

Scissors

Sewing Machine

and of course, a printer and a digital image to print out  www.deviantscrap.com is a great place to find millions of images at an affordable price)

Steps

1.  Print your digital artwork out on to Craft Attitude.

2.  Coat the shiny side of your printed piece with a generous coating of UHU glue (don't worry, it dries clear) and smooth the two combined layers with your fingers, or iron it flat.

3.  Trim the edges and then, using your sewing machine, single stitch around the outside of the rectangle.

4.  Single stitch around areas in the composition you would like to define, using a variety of different threads.

5.  I originally machine stitched several areas and then went back and hand embroidered areas that I wanted to highlight.

6.  The cherub's hair is just a cluster of french knots, wrapped five times around the needle for more texture.

7.  I then embroidered  a blanket stitch around the outside of the rectangle followed by adding  little gold seed beads .

8.  Wanting more dimension, I attached the two feathers over the cherub's wings - you could also experiment with bits of lace or tatting.

9.  I finished it off with decorating the eggs and adding a few stitches to define the cherub's paint brush.

 A big thank you to Itkupilli and Tumble Fish Studio for the digital images (you can find them here)  I used to create the composition and to Craft Attitude for inviting me to participate in their Spring/Easter Celebration  over on their Facebook page here

For more information on Craft Attitude visit www.craftattitude.com 

Happy Easter to you and yours!

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Ad-Hoc Advisory Board Meeting

We have begun to slow down to the speed of life as we begin Day 3 in "an undisclosed  spiritual location" close to  Guadalajara, Mexico. 

Above, I had summoned different spirit symbols to an adhoc advisory board meeting on this new plane of reality.   The time may have  come for a review of the existing Board of Directors.   I may seek to return to the Isles of  Morpharchengigel, my primary homeland temporarily to reassess my roots.

 Image credits from a number of different elements primarily gathered at  - Itkupilli, Tumble Fish Studio and Holliewood Studios via Deviant Scrap.

 

 Life is good.

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Recycled "Renaissance" Ballet Flats !

I am back in record time, to share my latest "Shoe Makeover"!  Needless to say, I am finding great satisfaction in saving my old favorite shoes that have outlived their 'best by date' and then some.  

I am a very basic dresser.  I wear the same earrings week after week, buy plain white Tshirts in bulk at Costco for $8.99 each and either blue jeans or black leggings.  

But, I do love me some variety in shoes.   Not too blingy and heels are a thing I have left far behind in the past (except for 3-4 days per year).  I am a comfort dresser and happy to be rid of caring about style. Warmth, practicality, natural fabrics and C-O-M-F-O-R-T. 

As you can see, in the 'before' photo below, these shoes had seen much better days!  I am sure I wore them everyday one summer, a couple of years ago - in fact, "plain old gnarly" seems to be the best way to describe them.

To see how easy it is to recycle your own favorite shoes - I posted a tutorial here.

All you need is two sheets of Craft Attitude - available here,  a glue stick (I use UHU brand) a pair of scissors and an x-acto knife. That's it.    Total makeover cost $5.00 (not including the new inner soles or original cost of the shoes) 

I did break down and purchase new inner soles but I can swap out easily as I build my new collection of recycled ONE OF A KIND - altered art shoes!    

Grubby Before Shot 

Getting Bent BACK into shape!

Five Dollars!!

I used images from  an Itkupilli Imaginarium kit  available here

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How to Make a "Better-than-New" Pair of Recycled Flats

If you had a chance to read my last blog post,  I mentioned  I was just getting warmed up.  After experiencing how easy I altered the handbag, I immediately started looking for other items on hand I could transform!  Shoes was the next logical experiment and, I happen to have a "small" collection to choose from. 

This pair have seen better days (ya think?)   Since they were one step short of the trash bin, I thought there was nothing to lose.

Before (pretty ratty heh?)

This is a beginner project and requires very little time, talent or supplies.  

Here's all you need (minus the brayer):

1.  I covered the shoes with one coat of Golden liquid acrylic paint (titanium white) - you could also use a Folk Art paint (often available at the dollar store for a buck or two)

2.  You will need two sheets of Craft Attitude (available on-line at www.Amazon.com)

3.  Print your pattern using an inkjet printer on to the Craft Attitude sheets and remove the backing.

4.  Liberally apply glue to the shoe - and I mean liberally.  Don't scrimp on the glue people!

5.  Place the translucent film over the shoe, lining it up to make sure it cover as much as the shoe as possible.

6.  Using your fingers smooth out the Craft Attitude beginnning at the toe and working around to the sides.  If you misalign it, you can lift it up again and reapply.  It isn't that stressful!  You have plenty of working time.  The glue doesn't dry quickly and the film is sturdy and it is also a little stretchy and will 'move' 2-3 mm if you are out by a smidge.

7.  Take your scissors and roughly cut out the area that is surplus that is laying over the opening in the shoe.  (You will need this to finish the back of the shoe.)   Cut out around the sole of the shoe in a similar fashion.   

8.  Using an x-acto knife, make your fine cuts to finish off the edges using the lines of the shoe and sole as your guide.  With a sharp blade, a ten year old can manage this easily.

That's it!  If you are doing this for the very first time, it may take up to an hour to finish both shoes.  I have a bit of experience so I completed the project in under 30 minutes.  Yes. Half an hour. 

After shots: 

How easy was that?  

It took me much longer to complete this blog post than it did to transform these beat up shoes into a better than new pair of shoes!  And, even though I am not a 'matchy-matchy' person, I just may throw on a white shirt, a pair of jeans and break into a new 'coordinated' look!   

Thanks for reading!  I am half way through my next pair of recycled shoes and will be back to share my musings early next week!  

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