Fabric Covered Organizer

Last week, I blogged about how to get your creative juices flowing. Then, I went and took my own advice. So, this week I wanted to let you know what I had worked on.

I decided to pretty up my environment by covering a plain, plastic organizer with fabric. It was pretty easy to do and the final project looks so cute! Here's the Before and After Pictures:

Here's what I used:

• Plastic Organizer;
• Fabric;
• Embellishments;
• Spray adhesive;
• Measuring tape; and
• Scissors.
  

First, I measured my organizer. Then I decided what material to use - cotton for the top and felt for the sides, with some paper embellishments for character.

For the sides, I cut four strips of felt. I cut the strips for the sides slightly shorter than the length and the strips for the front and back a bit longer than the width of the organizer. That's because I wanted to wrap the front and back strips around the side. Once the strips were cut, I sprayed the back of them with the spray adhesive. Then I put the side strips of first, followed by the front and back strips.

Next, I focused on the top of the organizer. I cut one piece of cotton fabric so that it was a few inches wider and longer than the top. Then I sprayed the fabric with the spray adhesive, positioned it on the center of the lid, pressed down and tucked the edges underneath the lid. This gives the lid a nice finished look and since the material is thin, the lid can still close easily.

Finally, I glued some paper flowers on the front of the organizer. The flowers match colours found in the cotton fabric, so that everything is coordinated. Best of all, the black felt really makes the colours in the fabric pop out! Now, instead of having plain organizers, I have bright, colourful ones that add extra cheer to the shelf in my office.


For more ideas to help brighten up your working environment, check out these great Project Ideas on my website.

How To Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Webster's online dictionary defines creativity as "The ability to create something new. We can define creativity as innovation, particularly in artistic endeavours and writing". For some people, creating something new seems so effortless. But if you're like most people, you have to work at it.

And then there are those times where you feel stuck or blocked and nothing happens. You want to create something, but you don't know what. If you feel like your creative juices just aren't flowing (and we have all been there at one point or another), then here are some things that can help them to get moving:

1. Be open to new ideas. Try something new. If you never try it, how do you know if you will like it or not. By trying it once, you just might find a hidden passion you never knew was missing!
2. Keep at it. The reason is simple - the more you create, the more creative you'll become. It's easy to put things off – you always mean to do something, but you just never quite get around to it. So, make time for it. Even if it's just 30 minutes once a week, by yourself or with others, put a creative activity in your schedule. Make a plan and stick to it.
3. Experiment. Try using a different colour than the pattern calls for and just see what happens. You'll learn from the experience and gain confidence to try something new or different next time!
4. Don't worry about perfection. Kids are always creating something new – drawing, painting or anything else they can get their hands on. They don't worry about how it turns out. If they like, they keep it. If they don't, they just laugh and move on. It's a great attitude to have because the less you worry, the more you'll enjoy the creative process.
5. Make your environment more creative. It doesn't matter where you spend your time, if you are surrounded by creativity, you'll feel more creative. Even a boring cubicle can be dressed up. For example, add some colourful fabric on the cubicle wall or put a small doll by your monitor.
6. Look for sources of inspiration and creativity. Go to museums or even look through magazines. Take note of the things that capture your attention and why. Do you like the colours of the object or does it bring back pleasant memories? By thinking about it, you'll get back in touch with your own creative abilities.
   

Okay, now I'm off to try some of this myself! How about you?

Creativity Is A Mindset

This week I wanted to continue on the theme of creativity. A big part of being creative is thinking you're creative. That is, it's all in your mindset, your way of thinking. If you think you are creative, you will be. If you don't think you're creative, then you won't be.

So, I figure if I'm on a quest to help re-build my imagination and creative juices, then I had better get in the right frame of mind from the start. There's probably lots of ways to get there, but I choose to come up with a creativity bio.

A creativity bio is a short summary of who you are, it's witty and includes a statement about being creative.

Do you want to write up your very own creativity bio? First, start by thinking about what you want to put in your bio. Include things like:

• Humorous stories from your childhood;
• Where you grew up;
• How you ended up in the city you currently live in;
• Likes and dislikes;
• Any accomplishments;
• What's the most important goal you want to achieve;
• Different places you have lived or different jobs you have held; or
• Anything else that describes you!
  

Then once you have done that, pick out the ones that stand out and put them all together in a paragraph. Edit it for flow and add a sprinkling of humour and wit.

Here's how my creativity bio turned out:

Joanne Jones is a small country girl who moved to the big city, even though she vowed she never would and now never wants to leave. However, she's still trying to search for the best of both worlds – nature and convenience – which to her means a paved path in the middle of a forest. She's always on the lookout for the next crafty project. She blames her mother for that because when she was a small child, her mom handed her a book filled with craft projects, some supplies and the rest as they say, was history. She's been hooked on crafts ever since! On a final note, you can usually recognize Joanne by the camera in her hand. She's always taking pictures, but only a small, select group of people will ever get to see them!


What would your creativity bio say about you?

Finding Creativity

Do you ever think back to your childhood and remember some of your favourite things to do? Have you ever thought, wow, I was really creative as a kid?

As a kid, I could make anything out of play dough or building blocks. Or at least, that's how it seemed to me. But give me some now and I'm not quite sure what to make. I have to think about it before I can start creating something.

So, what happened? Did we just stop using our imagination? Or are we just using them in a different way? I think that as adults, we need to help give our imagination a boost from time to time. I'm on a quest to help re-build my imagination and creative juices. I'll be letting you know what I try and the results in future posts on my blog, so stay tuned.

For now, I'm trying to keep an open mind. I'm going to let my mind wander and see where it wants to go. I want to see what attracts my attention, follow it and see what happens.


Want to give a kick start to your creative juices? Then visit Beautiful Creations Craft Projects where you'll find lots of crafty ideas that will get your imagination going.

My Designer Profile

I am so excited!! I was recently interviewed by Connie G. Barwick, the About.com guide to cross stitching. Connie does profiles on various cross stitch designers and her latest one is about me! Yeah!

Here are a few of the things that Connie covered in her interview:

• How I got started,
• Where I find inspiration,
• What my favourite design is, and
• The photo conversion service that I offer.
  

You can read the full interview here.

I always love reading Connie's profiles on cross stitch designers because it gives me a chance to learn a little bit more about them than I might learn otherwise. Plus, it has introduced me to so many different designers and some very unique patterns. It's so great to see all the imagination and creativity that is out there.

Who are some of your favourite cross stitch designers and why?

Knitting Tips For Everyone

Experienced knitters make knitting look so easy ... but it takes a lot of practice and skill to reach that point. So, whether you're just starting out or if you've been knitting for a while, here are some tips that will help you out.

1. To sew buttons on a knitted garment, use elastic thread. It'll keep your button in place, plus it won't cut or fray the yarn around it – keeping your garment looking beautiful for a long, long time.

2. When knitting a sweater, don't bind off the shoulder stitches. Instead, leave the stitches on the needles or on stitch holders. Then, when all the pieces of the sweater have been knitted – front, back and sleeves – you can simply knit the pieces together. Once that's done, then you can bind off the stitches. The result – a smooth, flat seam that looks great!

3. To make sure that the pattern size of the sweater you're knitting will actually fit, compare it to the best fitting sweater in your closet. Measure the dimensions of the sweater, specifically the width and length of the sweater, along with the size of the armholes and the length of the sleeves. Compare these measurements to the dimensions listed on the knitting pattern and pick the size that matches up the best.

4. Finally, have fun knitting! It's the best way to ensure that you'll keep knitting and the more you knit, the better you'll get!

I hope that you have found these tips useful. Please visit my website Beautiful Creations for more helpful Tips & Info on Knitting.

Drawstring Bag Cross Stitch Project

A really easy cross stitch project to create is a drawstring bag. Not only is it beautiful, but it's practical. There are so many uses for a drawstring bag. You could fill it with potpourri, you could hang it on the wall, or you could use it to hold keepsakes or jewelry.

Here's how you can make your own drawstring bag:

1) First, determine the size that you want the drawstring bag to be. Then, pick a cross stitch pattern to stitch on the bag. Look for smaller patterns - they can go on the front of the bag or wrap around both sides.

2) Select the fabric to cross stitch on and cut to size. You will be stitching on one piece that will be folded in half, so it is important that you determine whether the pattern will go on the front only or wrap around to both the front and back. Once you have determined that, you can figure out how much fabric you will need. This is a great way to use up leftover scraps of aida fabric.

3) Once the aida cloth has been cut, go ahead and cross stitch the pattern as normal.

4) Prepare a drawstring for the top of the bag. You can buy one that is already made or you can create your own. To create your own, choose 3 colours of DMC floss - either colours that you used in the pattern or ones that compliment those colours. Braid the DMC floss together. Remember to use all 6 strands of DMC floss for each colour. The length of the floss should be twice as long as the fabric at the top of the drawstring bag, where the drawstring will be placed.

5) Now you are ready to attach the drawstring to the bag. Place the drawstring near the top of the bag on the wrong side. Turn the top of the bag over the braid and temporarily hold it in place with safety pins. Stitch the folded aida cloth in place by stitching little "x's" every few squares. If you like, try creating a pattern with your stitches.

6) The last step is to sew the drawstring bag together. First, fold the drawstring bag in half, with the wrong side showing out. The two sides should match up and the drawstring should be at the top. Starting from the top, backstitch the two sides together and continue until the bottom half is sew together. Be careful to leave about four to five squares on the outside of the stitch, so that the stitches won’t come loose and fall out. Once all the sides have been sewn together, except for the top of course, simply turn the bag inside out and you are done. It’s as simple as that!


If you liked this project, you can find more FREE Project Ideas on my website. Try them out and leave a comment on my blog - I'd love to hear from you!