Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Letters, Letters, Letters


Been having fun with my Cricut Expression!! This was an order for my good friend's sister. She had a new little girl earlier this year and got some cute letters for her room from her MIL. She wanted to get some for her older daughter's room, but saw the price and immediately called her sister. "Hey, don't you have a friend who sews?"


"Do you think she can make me some letters for Emma?" Well, OF COURSE I can!! :) First I did a little information gathering by going to the store where the MIL got the baby's letters....YIKES!! Pretty pricey for some particle board cut letters with some paint and beads slapped on. AND they were only about 3 inches big. So, I started putting my creative thinking process to work!

First we agreed on the FONT she wanted to use, then she sent me pictures of the sweet girl's sweet little room. It is a very girly garden theme, with pastels and butterflies...cute, cute. Next, I cut the letters from stiff felt for the backing using my Cricut and AWESOME software that allows me to NOT have to buy lots of expensive cartridges and just use whatever font I have on my computer....soooo easy!! Then I chose the fabric, cut 5 inch squares, ironed on some fusible interfacing, cut letters, ironed them on to their respective backings and embellished, embellished, embellished!! All of the trims around the edges are stitched on to reinforce the fusible interfacing, and the ribbons at the top are sandwiched between the backing and fabric to ensure they will hold up to wall hanging! I had a lot of fun making these, and I hope sweet Emma enjoys them!!

So...BACK TO SCHOOL!!


Had this order from a girl at my husband's work....they keep me in "business"! HA! One day I will own a VERY EXPENSIVE embroidery machine that has a FLAT bottom so that this TASK will be MUCH easier!! Hey, I can dream, right?? :D I am very happy the names are actually straight..it was soooo hard getting that pocket on my hoop....centered!!! So when it came time to do Ms. Priss' new backpack, I didn't EVEN want to deal with my embroidery machine.....back to the Cricut!!


Can't say that SEWING on these letters was any easier!!!! WHY did she want them on THAT pocket???!!!! Oh well...it is DONE!! I did hand stitch around the little flower cut outs...NO WAY was I going to get my machine around all of those little curves!! BTW, the fabric letters are from the Moda charm pack I won from SMS eons ago!!! I found them under LOTS of WIPs and TONS of yardage I keep buying...but not using!!! UGH!! MOTIVATE ME!!


While I was on a Cricut roll....I did these cutouts and Modpodged them to her binder...we couldn't find a really cute 1 1/2 inch binder, so we decided to "cute" it up ourselves...I'll let you know how it holds up!!

Ok...so I learned something NEW!!!!

Cool huh? I have ALWAYS loved B&W photos with the little splashes of color, but had NO IDEA how it was done...well, I googled it!!! This tutorial is step by step and soooo easy to follow. If you have Photoshop try it!! It was kinda difficult to be neat, the tulle is transparent in some areas so some of the floor "coloring" came through. I chose this picture, because this weekend is the First birthday for the twin girls I made these for.....AND I HAVE NO IDEA what to make for them!! Well, ok, SOME ideas...but not sure of colors, fabric, trims, etc..... GOT TO GET TO WORK!! Until later...

P.S. I will try to squeak in some visiting time soon...I owe Stephanie a Meme, Amy has been doing soooooooooooooo much, man she is my idol!! And Allie...you are supposed to be taking it easy...EIGHT posts since I've last read!!!! Tammie is pregnant with THREE kids (AWESOME pictures girl!!) and manages to get more accomplished than me....like I've said...GOT TO GET TO WORK!! :)

5 comments:

Jennwith4 said...

Wow you were on a cricut roll! I'd love to have one of those machines. So much easier to cut out letters for appliques like you did.

Amy Friend said...

Boy, you've been busy! I haven't checked for a bit because I know you have been so busy (in the not sewing way). You did a super job centering those names when you emboidered. It makes all the difference-very professional!

Bea said...

Emma must be so happy. I'd be giggeling for joy everytime I see those cute letters. Wonderful job. Love your daughters binder, too.

Allie said...

Wow - that Cricut must be fun, those letters are just darling! You've been very creative girl!
I have no clue how you got that pocket in your hoop - yikes it gives me a headache just to imagine it! You did a beautiful job. I love your appliqued letters too. And the notebook, how darling is that! Love the tu-tus, I don't have photoshop so I can't try that...someday I'll get it though!
Really, I've done eight posts? My goodness. I'd better catch my breath, lol!

Capital Mom said...

I love the letters!