D.I.Y Painted Napkins and Placemats {tutorial from 504 Main}

Holly over at 504 Main was so generous enough to let me share her tutorial with you guys. I thought it was amazing and beautiful..This is directly from her site and I left the DIY club info on there in case anyone is interested in joining. I want to thank Holly for letting me feature this.

and of course she gets a featured button

copy the code below..to paste it to your blog (if you wish]

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I have so many projects in the works...some for me, some for my son, some for my house {you can see the kitchen photos - finally - here!}, and a lot for the DIY Club. We have so many awesome sponsors for the DIY Club...and I am a little too inspired {is that possible...yes it is unless you do not need to sleep}.

So, before I go any further...

Did you know the new DIY Club challenge starts next week?

Are you ready? Are you thinking about it? If not, why?

Do you realize how super-simple it is to enter:

One vendors sponsored product

{Gorilla Glue, Decoart, DISChangers, Rockler, P.K. Glitz, Olive Rue, Cutting Edge Stencils...

and more being added all the time!}

One photos of the product in your post

One little ole DIY Club button on your sidebar or in the post

And do you know what your could win? Hmmm, so you? Some seriously awesome prizes! You do not have to have a crafty type blog...you do not have to build a house...you just have to be able to create something big or little that uses a vendor product. So come on crafters, DIYers, home improvement gurus's - get your glue, paint, glitter, drills, iron, nails out and getting thinking and creating! Did I mention - oh yeah I did - but who cares, I will say it again...there are FABULOUS prizes!

***************

Now, I am done with my BSA {Blog Service Announcement}

and here is my fun project I have been working on...
A Gift For My {new} Kitchen!
Click HERE for a pdf version of this tutorial

I remember back in "my day" making T-shirts before high school dances - so our group could all match of course! I remember that paint being thick and stiff. Those instances, with the exception of a time or two in between, that was the last time I used fabric paint. Well, recently I received the Americana Fabric Painting Medium by Decoart and I am ready to paint everything. Fabric paint has come a long way! By mixing this medium with your favorite color acrylic paint, you get a soft, creamy and might I say dreamy fabric paint. Yeah!

I began this project with the intention of making some flour sack towels -

which I did, but ended up loving the fabric painting medium so much

and the results I got that I went on to make placements and napkins...

and I see an apron in my future!

Here's how to make your own!

Supplies

-Americana Fabric Painting Medium by Decoart

-Americana Acrylic Paint in Yellow Ochre by Decoart

-Americana Acrylic Paint in Plum by Decoart

-Paint brush, sponge brush, or stencil pouncer {I used the pouncer and brush}

-Flour Sack towels OR cloth napkins OR cloth placemats

-Freezer paper

-Craft Knife (optional)

-Stencil of choice {or free hand a design}. NOTE: I made a few stencils and then found a great stencil for free at Ready Made Magazine as part of Refurbished Beach Chair project {Have you checked out Ready Made - the best magazine!}. You can also find stencils from Cutting Edge Stencils

-You will also need a jar or plate for mixing the medium, and iron/ironing board, and access to a washing machine.

DIY IT!
-Wash and dry the towel/napkin/placemat

-Print out stencil - 2 sizes one larger and one smaller- and cut design out on freezer paper using a craft knife {or scissors}. I have never used freezer paper before, although I have seen it around since I began blogging - the best! I was able to cut up to 6 layers of freezer paper at one time, which saved a lot of time since I used multiple stencils for my project.

-Iron your fabric to get out wrinkles {if necessary}

-Trim around each stencil and place individual stencils onto project.

-Iron freezer paper down to fabric.

-Mix your paint and fabric painting medium at a 2:1 ratio

-Begin painting, by lightly brushing or pouncing over the stencil. Begin with the lightest color first {yellow ochre}.

-Let dry 24 hours and come back with the smaller stencil.

-Place and iron smaller stencil onto project, overlapping larger flower in areas.

-Mix darker paint and medium.

-Paint by lightly brushing or pouncing over the stencil with the darker color {Plum}. 

-Let dry for 24-48 hours.

-Heat set for 30 seconds with iron.

-Wash on gently cycle {inside out if a garment}.

{sample of my overall placement}

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. I love doing stuff like this, and am going to have to get my own tutorials up soon..

Anybody else want to be featured?

email me- sewcraftable@gmail.com

♥Jess

Tutorials I ♥

Here we are again. Me showing you some of the fabulous tutorials that live in my brain 24/7. I love finding new tutorials from some very awesome people.

These aren’t MINE, I just wish they were. LOL

click on the name to go to the websites..

Cutie Pie Pot Holders {Better Homes & Garden}

Cute Papier Mache Bird {Better Homes & Garden}

42 Ways to Reuse Materials for Crafting and Save {FaveCrafts}

Paper
Metal
Plastic
Glass
Clothing
Misc

Free Crochet Pattern: Perfect Purse {Lion Brand Yarn}

Turn brown paper bag into art journal {Nellie Loves Vintage}

The Ringer Shirt Tutorial {Crafterhours}

Soft Baby Cube with Tags Tutorial {Eleanor’s Boutique}

Water Bottle Octopus (or Squid) {crafts by amanda}

Hope you enjoy and if you make something don’t forget to show me..

♥Jess

How to Add Layers in Paint.net {Tutorial from Maria @ Agape Designs}

I had posted a blog asking someone to help me with paint. I couldn’t figure out how to use the layers like I did in Gimp. The most amazing and kind person responded with help..
“who could this be?” You ask
Maria from Agape Designs. She went above and beyond to help me out.  About Maria:


How did she help me out so much??
She wrote me a whole entire tutorial to show me how to do it. She didn’t have to do that. She didn’t have to go out of her way to help me. So I thank her so much (VERY VERY much) I love blogging because I love meeting awesome people that make life so much more amazing by being a true friend, helping out as much as she can.
So Maria- I ♥ you for being awesome and you have a permanent place on my blog..
Here is the tutorial she wrote:

Paint.Net Layers Tutorial for Jess :)

Hey Jess, hope this helps... I did lots of pictures.. cause thats easiest for me to explain! :) I decided to just do a tutorial while make you a siggy.. you will find that at the bottom of the page. Pixel credit goes to Ashley at Reverie Pixels. :)
Once you open up paint.net a blank image will appear.. you will most likely want to resize it to fit what ever it is you want to create. :)
This form will pop up and you can change the size.. you can unclick "maintain aspect ratio" if you want different size or shape.
Moving on to layers:

Pick a font :)
To work in a specific layer.. click on and high lite that layer in the layer box. What ever you do/change will be applied to the blue high lighted layer.
To add something to you image.. simply click FILE in the menu bar, then OPEN and pick what you want to be working with. I opened up a pixel tube. It will open up as its own image, separate from the one you're working on. To add it into the image you're working on DO THE FOLLOWING:
After the image is selected:

You can move the 2 images around to fit it how you desire.. working in separate layers. As you can see layer 3, the image with the pixel tube is selected/high lighted, so I can move that around. If I want to move the writing around.. I would click on layer 2 in the layers box, so I could work on the "made by jess" layer.
Here I added in some mushrooms the same way I added in the pixel girl, in its own separate layer.
I want to cut away the excess area around the siggy, so i select it to fit. (I forgot to show it, but the rectangle select button is next to the point selector in the tools box)

If you think you may want to re design this in the future or make any changes, without having to re-make one.. you would click file, then save as.. and keep it saved as a pdn file.. that way it keeps the layers separate and yu can open it up in paint.net and still make changes. If you are completely done with it and dont think you will make changes then do the following:




And there you have it.. your finished product! :) I hope you like it... I am sure you know how to save this to your computer right? :)  I really hope this helped you. You just said you needed help with layers.. so i wasnt sure exactly what you knew and didnt know.. so just went through it all. LOL If you still need help.. or if I missed anything.. dont be afraid to ask! :)
~Maria Isabel

Tote Bag Tutorial {From Mrs. Sassy Crafter}

If you haven’t already visited the Sassy Crafter, you may want to. She is an awesome person with a great personality who creates and loves to share her work with all of us to see and make. Isn’t that awesome? Today she is sharing with us the awesome tote bag she made for the young girls at her church.

Whose Got Tutorials? THEY’ve got tutorials.♥

The Crafty Cupboard has some very awesome tutes {here} like this awesome Coloring Caddy

Hope Studios has some very awesome tutorials..

my fav?

CD holder

Made has some very awesome tutorials which my favorite includes the recycled grocery tote..

the rest of her tutorials are {here}

Design*Sponge shows us how to make this awesome notebook lunch bag 

The rest of her DIY projects {here}.

 

Ric Rac shows us how to make these adorable fabric buckets.

 

Belle & Burger shows us how to make some awesome rockin panties, {plus, I ♥ Family Guy}

Toasts shows us the Shoe Painting Tutorial

Sew Christine! shows us how to make this awesome and easy diaper bag.

ModHomeEcTeacher on Curbly shows us how to make a hangable hamper

Make numerous dolls with this tutorial from Miss Gioia

MakeBabyStuff.com shows us how to make this little rabbit..

Paint in my Hair shows us how to make some very awesome and inspiring crate covers. Spice up the organization. ☺

You can download the tutorial {here}

Victoria North on CraftStylish shows us how to decorate/organize with old thread spools..

{here}

SpinCushion shows us how to make a coupon clutch {here}

Hope you enjoy!

♥Jess