The Material Mama Podcast

We have a winner!

WOW!  I was so excited to read all your responses to the last blog post!  I used a random number generator, and removing my own comments, the big winner is:

 

Lucky #15!  That's Leah!  She had a great idea:

I store my Ottobre magazines in page protectors with each year in a separate binder. This ensures that when I need to find the pattern sheets I can.

You get a new copy of Sew Darn Cute: 30 Sweet & Simple Projects to Sew & Embellish Hurray!!!!

Please email me your address so I can get it out to you this week!  mtellianoATgmailDOTcom

In other news, we're having a GREAT  Quickie contest!!!

I love the photos posted to that thread, and I'm saving them for a new homepage up at Sewingmamas.com.  If you didn't get in this round, I'll have another Photo Contest soon.  You are all SO talented!  I'll share the winning photos here, as well as on Sewing Mamas.

Keep up to date with Sewing Mamas:

I'm teaching for a few days, I just love Kindergarten.  Very busy, we're putting on a show and Open House is coming up.

Yes, there will be another awesome give away posted in a couple of days :)

Love,

Second Material Mama Book Give Away!

Congratulations again Kelley for winning the last give away!

This week, I'm giving away  Sew Darn Cute: 30 Sweet & Simple Projects to Sew & Embellish

 

To enter, please leave a comment on the blog!  :)  This time, I'd like to know what your favorite sewing/notion organizing tip and why? Feel free to link to your sewing space or even a drawer that is organized and helpful. All entries will be chosen at random using random.org.  If it 'hits' on one of my posts, I just re-do the calculation.

And in other news -- the Cricut Create Machine I've been lusting after arrived.  I adore it!  I've already used it for school.  I'm waiting to hear what grade I'm teaching next year before buying any more cartridges.  I'd like to get the cursive set, or the printing set but we'll see. My school district, as so many, is facing deep cut backs that is frankly very depressing all around.

ANYHOO -- The machine arrived with "Don Juan" so I've been using that a lot.  I did purchase the "Paper Dolls" cartridge, and have had fun making stuff with the little girls.  I'm having issues with cutting cardboard so I purchased a "Deep Cut" blade.  

I've been fiddling around trying to make it work with fabric, my first attempt is for a set of small quilted wall hangings - they will say "Be~organic~authentic~creative~inspired~present~open" These are things I'm working on in my life and a little reminder is nice.

Here you can see my first try -- I used a thin denim, Ultrahold heat'n'bond ironed onto the back. I then peeled off the paper and put the paper side down on my Cricut mat.Turned out pretty good for a first try.  I did go over it twice.

This is how it turned out. I used the spray adhesive as the 'sticky' factor is going out of the cutting mat. It was very helpful.

And a close up:

Wow, this is so much easier than how I was doing it -- printing out each letter, tracing it onto the back of the Thermo-Web, then using tiny scissors to cut out the letters.

I just set it to run and made dinner. Viola!

I'll cut out each word on iron on web, then create the wall hanging.  I'm finding creating things for myself is helping me rediscover my creativity.

SO -- Please post your favorite organizing tip for your sewing space and you just might win a brand new book!

Love,

And the winner is...

Happy Friday! A big thank you to everyone who joined us for a Crafter's Book in a give away!  I'll be posting another give away on Monday, so stay tuned!

The winner was picked at random from the replies to the post for ideas for a five year celebration of Sewing Mamas!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random number:

5

Timestamp: 2010-05-15 01:56:18

Congratulations Kelley!!!

And now, the random winner of Crafter's Devotional: 365 Days of Tips, Tricks, and Techniques for Unlocking Your Creative Spirit

 

Kelley, please email me your address at mtellianoATgmailDOTcom and I'll get it out to you with some other Sewing Mama bling for you :)

Congratulations!

The Cricut Arrived!

Ooooooohhhhh myyyyyy.  I'm in love. First off, I have no connection to ProvoCraft or Cricut.  But!   This little machine arrived today and it can do SO much it's boggling my mind.  I can't even open it yet, I'm saving that for after the laundry room is cleaned out, and by cleaned out I mean a deep clean so it will be a few days. 

Here's the thing.  When we moved into our home in September of 2001, I was working full time. I was about 6 months pregnant.  I wasn't much good to anyone.  I'm one of those that is sick for the WHOLE pregnancy. Yay me. :/

My family and friends stepped up to the plate big time and helped me move and put things away. Then 9/11 happened.  Then I had the baby early, then another one 24 months later.  Then I broke my leg. (Mom's favorite saying -- life is what happens when you're making other plans) .

Everything went by so fast! The old adage is true -- the days are long, the years are short.  So I'm trying to take advantage of this calm before another possible storm by putting things where it makes sense to me and I can find it easily.  Also cleaning out a LOT.  I even have a spot for the Cricut!  I'll share pictures of the clean laundry room tomorrow when I'm done.

I got a really great deal here on Amazon,  with free and fast shipping. If you have extra money to spend,  I think that this is actually a better deal.  I just didn't want to go over 160.00, and will be pretty happy with the Don Juan cartridge.  I recently bought the  Sure Cuts a Lot software to make my own vinyl clings and fabric (yes I said fabric!!!) appliques. I don't want to be tied down to one font or the designs it comes with.

Sound familiar?  Yep, it's a lot like an embroidery machine.

Speaking of sewing, take a look at how to use the Cricut to cut fabric!  I have a few links here:

PsychoMoms tips

Cookin up Craftyfun
Cricut Support
Sewing Mamas Discuss te use of the Cricut with fabric

So while I'm ready to dive right in, the adult in me says no, work first.  Pfffft.

Here you can see a great idea for a simple project. By hand this would have taken me at least five hours  I'm pretty sure it will be cut dramatically when I use my Circut.

I have great silhouettes of my girls I want to try out. If it works then I'm going to do my whole class as a project for Mother's Day.  I see this as more of a tool for school (work), with benefits of helping me with some applique, vinyl labels, and more.  I just couldn't talk myself out of it.

I also am going to try to design some for Sewing Mamas, to be for sale on our anniversary.

Oh, I forgot to mention the other day.  Heather Ross is designing Keds that go along with her Far, Far Away fabrics.Genius I tell you , genius!  She also has a line of fabric availabel through Soonflower. The prices are a tad dear but I know she's making very little through Zazzle.  Support your small artists

 

While you're here, take a look over at our free giveaway for Sewing Mamas 5th Anniversary!