We Have a Winner for the Primitive Handcarved Crow Stamp

Congratulations to Gayle of Utah  on winning the Primitive Handcarved Crow Stamp from Krystal Norton of Rags-N-Tags.

 You can meet Gayle on her blog at http://themiddlesister.blogspot.com/


The winner was picked using the true generator on Random.org. We want to thank ALL of you who took the time to enter and for all the wonderful comments.

Be sure and come back again tomorrow, we will have a new giveaway starting that you won't want to miss.

Would you like to be a sponsor for one of the giveaways on our blog?   It is a great way to get your craft business noticed.    For information email us at byyourhandsblog@gmail.com

Today's Featured Artists --- The Pioneer Loft

Our featured artists today are Denise and Tim Cheyney from The Pioneer Loft.

Tell us a little about you?

I grew up in a very historic area, Bucks County, PA, and what a great place that was!  It gave me a deep sense of history and appreciation of our nation's past and the things we still have today in the way of homes, barns, furniture and other items from the daily lives of our forefathers, as well as the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

Tim and I have been married for 33 happy years. We have two grown up children and one granddaughter. We live on a small farm of 28 acres in the beautiful rolling hills of Ohio, surrounded by farms and great views.

Almost as long as I can remember, I always wanted to have an antique or gift shop when I grew up. I suppose it was just in the blood as I never lost that hope and dream, even though I was diverted as a legal secretary and then a full time mom  along the way. Over the years I enjoyed sewing and crafting, so making things to sell is a natural outflow of the creative part of me. I've had a retail country decor store, but after being very sick two years ago, have been going at life in a slower pace, making things and selling on Etsy as able. I also have a 24x26 building on our farm where I've been working and selling things to the public. It's very low key and always fun when someone takes time to stop. Only open seasonally, it is now closed until further notice.
I also am a pianist and play at church and in a Christian band.

My husband, Tim, makes small furniture for a living. He mainly wholesales, and his biggest customer is "The Country House" mail order catalog. 

How long have you been in business?

I started out my own home party business in 1993 and it eventually grew into owning a building for a retail location in our downtown. Before opening the store, though, I did wholesale crafting with wood items and wreaths full time for a time, until pain in my hands forced me to quit. So retailing then became my focus.

How did you get started?

I signed up to sell with a home party company when we lived in another state. It was country decorative items which were sold right off the table rather than ordered. When we moved to Ohio, the owner of that company said she thought it would be best if I did my own buying rather than her shipping everything 1300 miles to me. So, she gave me all the information I needed and helped me get started. After 3 years of home parties and having to quit wholesale crafting, I opened a retail store and the rest is history!

What is involved in making your craft?

 The things I make are a mix of mediums. I sew, paint and sometimes use natural drieds to make wreaths and centerpieces.

What is your favorite thing to make?

  That is hard to say, but usually what I'm working on at the moment is my favorite! hehehe! It's such a great feeling to make dolls ... making fabric come to life ... so perhaps that is my very favorite thing to make.

Do you have set hours to work?

 Not at this time. I go through times when I make a schedule for myself if I'm busy, but for the most part, I've tried to keep stress out of my life the last two years and so I work as "the spirit moves". Because of problems in my neck and hands, I can only craft 3-4 hours a day a couple days a week maximum.

What are your future plans for your business?

 I've been enjoying creating and digitizing designs for embroidery sewing machines lately and am considering building up that business on the internet. I also am looking at options to turn my downtown building into a craft mall or a consignment furniture shop. Perhaps the hardest part of the decision is not knowing how my health will hold up should I go back into a more stressful situation, but I'm really anxious to get back into it full time again.

 What does handcrafting mean to you?

 It means relaxation and loving what I'm doing. It's an outlet for creativity that doesn't seem to be fulfilled anywhere else.

Where do you sell your crafts at?

 On Etsy, on our farm, an occasional craft show, and have a booth at "Shabby-Chic Treasures" in Millersburg, Ohio.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PioneerLoft
http://www.pioneerloftmercantile.blogspot.com
http://www.ragbagtreasures.etsy.com
Wholesale Only http://www.pioneerloft.com

Handmade Spotlight - Warm & Fuzzy

'Warm & Fuzzy' by ewenmeprintables

Who doesn't love a nice pair of fuzzy slippers or socks on a cool fall evening.

All of items can be found on etsy... simply click the photo for more details.

tangonovemberb... $9.00	aykelila $52.00
carameldiezel $20.00	pawfelts $50.00
handmadebabylo... $15.99	TheHappyFeet $22.00
betterhandmade $31.00	Mamachee $5.50
RGsocks $30.00	LittleLemonCre... $12.00
Zarina2009 $50.00	MEandREEKIE $20.00
KupAndSaucer $24.00	smmak2 $10.00
AlohaBlu $22.00	galinesa $24.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Tuesday Tutorial ---Applique Tote

Todays's tutorial is for an easy appliqued tote.    I made this tote for a friend and decided to do a tutorial for the blog.   Hope you enjoy making it.   It is a nice size to take shopping with you and would also make a nice gift.

Easy Appliqued Tote Bag

Finished size is 13 in. tall,   11 1/2 in. wide and 6 in. wide on the side

Supplies needed:

1 yard of main fabric   (I used duck cloth but denim would be nice,  too)
1 yard of quilted muslin for lining
Fabric for appliqué
Light weight fusible webbing

Cut the tote body, 18 inches wide by 32 ½ inches long. Use this piece as a pattern to cut the lining fabric.

Cut two pieces of the main fabric for the straps, 2 ½ inches wide x 36 inches long or length desired.

Fold the straps over and stitch down the long seam in a ¼ inch seam.

Turn right side out.    I use my 10 inch long hemostat tool I got off ebay for this.    There are also special tube turners to do this.   You can also attach a large pin to one end and thread the strap through this way.

Press the straps.   Topstitch the straps by stitching down both sides and two lines evenly down the middle of the straps.

And optionally,  you can press the sides in ¼ inch and then fold the strap over and pin together.   Sew the folded seams together.   Sew down the other side.   Then sew down the middle of the strap.

Trace a 9 inch circle on the paper side of the fusible webbing.   A dinner plate makes a good template.   But anything 9 inches round will do.  Cut the circle out, leaving a small seam allowance around your pencil line.

With your applique fabric wrong side up,   place the fusible web over the area you want to use for the applique.   You should be able to see enough of an outline of the picture on the fabric to determine where to press the circle over.    You could also set this on a light box if you have one.

Press the webbing to the fabric.   

Cut the circle out on the pencil line.    Remove the paper backing.

 Fold the fabric in half with the right side of the fabric to the outside.    Center the applique on the fabric,   4 1/2 inches in from the sides and 3 inches down from the top.    Press the applique to the fabric using the iron setting recommended by the fusible web maker.

Once the applique is ironed to the fabric you are going to sew around the outside edge.   I used a machine blanket stitch but you can use whatever stitch you like.

Now fold the fabric in half again with right sides together.    Sew down the sides in a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Now you are going to box the sides.    Pull the sides out to form a triangle.   The seam will be in the middle.

Measure down 3 inches from the peak.   Draw a line across.   This will be your stitching line.   Sew across this line.   

Repeat for the other side of the tote.     Some people like to trim this close to the seam line.    If you want to do that,  cut the excess off 1/2 inch from the seam line.   Overcast this seam for strength.    I usually leave them alone as I feel it adds body to the bottom of the bag and there is less stress to the seamline.

Turn the tote right side out. 

  We are going to sew the straps on now.   Measure in 4 inches from the sides and pin the strap to the top of the tote.   Make sure your strap doesn't get twisted as you bring it up to the other side. 

  Stitch across the strap ends in a 1/4 inch seam.    Repeat for the other side of the tote.


LINING:

Fold the fabric in half  with right sides together.    Sew down the sides in a 1/4 inch seam allowance,  leaving a 5 inch opening on one side for turning..

Now you are going to box the sides the same way you did for the outer tote,   Sew across this line.   

  Repeat for the other side of the lining.

Place the outer tote inside the lining,  right sides will be together.    Match up the seam lines and pin together around the top edge.

Stitch all around the top edge in a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Pull the tote out of the side opening.    Fold the open seam edges in 1/4 inch and pin.   Sew this seam closed by hand or machine.

Place the lining down inside the tote.    Smooth the top edge so that it is even and pin.    Topstitch along the edge  and you are done.

Copyright 2010 - Bette Shaw

Fall Cleaning - Don't Get Overwhelmed

It's definitely fall, cooler temperatures, brilliantly colored leaves are all around us.

With the change in seasons comes the daunting task for some of us... FALL HOUSE CLEANING. I am one of those who feels overwhelmed when I look around certain areas of my home, I hope you aren't, but just in case, here are some helpful tips I found to help us out.

OrganizedHome.com has a Fall Cleaning Chore Checklist They have lists for both indoor and outdoor fall chores.

MrsCleanUSA.com also has a nice list of tasks that can get us ready for winter. The jobs are broken down with tips for each one.

I found this neat outline on how to clean your home in 5 days. Great ideas can be found here and nothing seems too overwhelming.

Lastly, I stumbled upon Fly Lady. I think just about everyone has heard of Fly Lady. The Baby Steps outline is really good and gets you well on your way to a clean home in only 31 days.

I know some of these ideas will help me, hopefully, you won't need them, but I know I sure do.

Enjoy your day!
Deena Davis
www.byyourhands.blogspot.com