I was browsing though my Google Reader backlog today and stumbled across a post on Katy Elliot’s blog about some fab craftiness in the latest issue of Country Living magazine – handprints preserved with needle and thread instead of paper maché or cement. I don’t want to steal Katy’s photo, but essentially you outline your hand, or your child’s, on fabric and then stitch the outline, add the subject’s name and the year below and then use an embroidery hoop to mount the creation. It might be neat to go one step further and use the same hoop for a child over the course of their childhood – trace their hands every other year, maybe three or four times – and use a different color thread each time so their handprints look like a colorful version of the rings of a tree stump.
I tried to trek over to Country Living’s website and find an image with some instructions, but no luck. But I did find a treasure trove of crafty goodness and inspiration. Some gems I bookmarked:
- The 2008 Country Living Women Entrepreneurs – profiles of 10 amazingly talented women (including Whitney English, stationery designer extraordinaire)
- Polka Dot Craft Projects – who doesn’t love a good dot (especially on a cake)?
- Instructions for Fabric-Covered Journals and Boxes
- and Cupcake Decorating Ideas that will make your mouth water
And the best part is – most of their ideas can be adapted for those of us with a less “rustic” aesthetic.
PS: If you like embroidery hoops, you’ll love hoop.de.do – Jennifer Pebbles (one of my all-time favorite scrapbookers) creates these mod bulletin boards that fit in with even the trendiest decor.
Thu, Apr 2, 2009
You Can Do It!