Etsy finds -- burp cloths

I've spent the last several days visiting with my beautiful new nephews. I helped out with a number of feedings and diaper changes. Even though I got peed on, thrown up on, and wailed at, I completely fell in love with them. They are absolute angels! My sister and her husband are so very blessed. I found that I could sit for hours just watching their little faces -- they have so many different expressions already. And it seemed like every day they looked a little different. I swear that the smaller twin put on a little weight in the short time I was there. It really is amazing how quickly they seem to change.

Given the week's activities, I couldn't resist picking burp cloths for this week's Etsy finds Wednesday. As someone who ended up with spit-up all down her back after a burping session, I can't stress enough how important a good burp cloth can be!

My sister had a few burp cloths from Orange Peel Baby, much like these burp cloths. They are made from super absorbent cloth diapers with a stripe of cute fabric running down the middle. These cloths have stripes of minky and Amy Butler fabrics. If you want to look good while burping babies, this is the way to do it!



But maybe you prefer silly over sophisticated. If that's the case, check out this darling sock monkey baby set from doodlesprouts. It includes three burp cloths, a lap blanket, and a little hat. Too cute! And I really like that she encourages folks to find a good use for her products after baby outgrows them.



Did I mention that sets make great shower gifts? This rocket ship set from More Cookies Please would be a great gift for a little boy. I also love the cute soft blocks that she has in her shop. The little ribbon tags are perfect for little hands to grab.



As I quickly found out this week, it's important for burp cloths to be absorbent. This cotton chenille burp cloth from DancingKat definitely fits the bill. And the brightly colored zoo animals are just darling.



Finally, any post of mine wouldn't be complete without a repurposed item. TotRags makes terry cloth burp rags out of repurposed hand towels. So clever! She also donates $1 from every sale to cancer research. How can you not love an Etsy seller who does that?

SYTYC Week 4 -- "Retro"

Today marked the start of Week 3 over at So You Think You're Crafty. I was excited that the theme this week is "Retro," and am super pleased with what I came up with. It's also really cool to see how everyone came up with their own interpretation of the theme. Don't forget to cast your vote by Friday!

Week 3 wrapped up strong with Sarah's reusable lunch sandwich and snack bags garnering the most votes in the "Kitchen" challenge. You can check out her tutorial here. And did you guess which project was mine? I hope I didn't throw too many of you off with the description I wrote. I just thought that the towel would be great for folks with kids, even though I don't have kids of my own.

And speaking of both tutorials and kids, there's a good reason that I have yet to post my coptic binding tutorial. It's because I'm spending time visiting my sister, her husband, and my brand new twin nephews! They are incredibly adorable and I feel so lucky that I get to spend this time with them. And it's also nice to know that I'm able to help out my sister and her husband, since it sure is a lot of work raising twins!

I promise to post the tutorial soon, and in the meantime encourage you to head over to So You Think You're Crafty and check out the fabulous retro projects. See you soon!

Etsy finds -- Fleur de lis

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all! Okay, so I'm a day late, but that's only because my Etsy finds posts always happen on Wednesdays. But that little technicality isn't going to stop me from bringing you a bevy of items that feature the fleur de lis.

In case you didn't know, the fleur de lis is a traditional symbol of New Orleans (which the NFL finally figured out after its recent trademark infringement witch hunt). I've rounded up some traditional and not-so traditional items for this week's Etsy roundup.

Fleur de lis T-shirts are pretty popular around New Orleans. It seems like every independent T-shirt designer has their own version. HappyFamily sells this oneon Etsy and also at Metro Three, a brick and mortar store in New Orleans.

(Speaking of T-shirt shops in New Orleans, don't miss Storyville Designs. They're not on Etsy, but they make great shirts. They're also one of the small businesses that the NFL threatened with a cease and desist letter, but don't get me started on that topic again.)



Here's something I wouldn't have initially associated with the fleur de lis, but this baby sling from Babyette looks very cool. I've heard that D-ring slings are great for moms who need to tote around babies or even toddlers. Anyone have any experience with these?



Paper wreaths made out of old books have recently surged in popularity in both the craft and design worlds. Here's a lovely fleur de lis inspired wreath, courtesy of White Serenade.



And finally, no second line parade on Mardi Gras Day in New Orleans would be complete without a parasol. New Orleans Umbrella Company offers this ivory and gold parasol to suit your second line needs.

ICE Resin Blog Hop

Today I'm taking part in a blog hop organized by the folks who produce ICE Resin. As you may recall, ICE Resin is my favorite resin product and it's the one I use in my bottle cap workshops. I thought I'd post a few images of the samples that I bring with me when I teach the workshops.

Keychain featuring vintage map and Kreinik metallic threads

Wine glass charm using found image and vintage seed beads

Pet tag featuring Kreinik metallic threads

Florida key chains I had at Atomic Holiday Bazaar

If you want more ICE Resin inspiration, don't miss the rest of the artists participating in the blog hop:

Molly Alexander http://beautifullybrokenme.blogspot.com/

Ro Bhrun http://robruhn.blogspot.com/

Karen Burns http://web.me.com/vintagefindings/Vintage_Findings/Blog/Blog.html

Keecia Frazee Deveney http://www.lemoncholys.blogspot.com/

Mary Jane Dodd -- Mary Jane http://mairedodd.blogspot.com/

Melanie Earthenwood http://earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com

Shea Fragoso http://www.whathappensnext.typepad.com/

Kerin Gale http://remnantsofolde.com/posts/

Vickie Hallmark http://fiberartglass.blogspot.com/

Jess Italia Lincoln http://www.vintaj.com/wpblog/

Jill Liles http://livngoodjewelry.blogspot.com/

Heather Powers http://www.humblebeads.blogspot.com/ and http://www.artbeadscene.blogspot.com/

Amy Purdes http://www.spritecreations.blogspot.com/

Jenny Barnett Rohrs http://www.crafttestdummies.com/

Stephanie Rubiano http://www.soigathered.typepad.com/

Lisa Sommerville http://www.lisasomerville.com

The Objects and Elements Design Team and the one and only Susan Lenart Kazmer are also taking part:

Jen cushman http://www.objectsandelements.typepad.com/jencushman/

Deryn Mentock http://somethingsublime.typepad.com/

Kristen Robinson http://kristenrobinson.typepad.com/

(In the interest of full disclosure, I did not receive any compensation or free product in exchange for this post. I'm just in love with the product and am happy to sing its praises for free!)

SYTYC -- Week 1 wrap-up and Week 2 "Under $5"

What a busy weekend! The first week of "So You Think You're Crafty" wrapped up on Friday. The winner was Kalleen with her "Tag Wallet." You can read her tutorial here. I have to say, if I didn't vote for my own project I totally would have voted for hers. It reminded me of another project I'd seen made from old labels --this amazing smoking jacket that appeared on an episode of Antiques Roadshow.

Getting back to SYTYC, did you guess which project was mine? It was a little bit retro and a little bit modern, just like a lot of my projects. Did you guess yet? It was the creative journal made with aluminum covers and a coptic stitch binding. If you haven't ever had a coptic stitch journal, you're missing out. They're great because they lie totally flat when you open them, which is perfect for artsy types.

If you're interested in making your own coptic stitch journal, check back later for the tutorial I'll be posting. I had hoped to have it up by this morning but I was too wrapped up in the Super Bowl last night. I'm still pinching myself that the Saints won! Who Dat?!

In the meantime, swing on by the SYTYC site to check out the fun projects for Round 2 -- "Under $5." There are some pretty creative projects up there, and all of them are cheaper than a venti latte. I like that! As usual, you can vote using the poll in the right sidebar.

And the most exciting news of all is that my sister is delivering her babies today! Her official due date is next week but they decided to schedule her for a C-section for today. I guess the twins were ready to come out! On Saturday they got 24" of snow at their house, which is on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. She called the hospital yesterday and they said the roads are clear, so it sounds like everything's on track. So exciting! I'm still giddy that I'm going to be an aunt. I guess this gives me an excuse to get started on some cute baby crafts.

Etsy finds -- neck warmers

It's still winter, and you know what that means -- it's still cold. I blogged about wrist warmers last week, and this week I'll be featuring neck warmers. I'm partial to these mini-scarves because they're enough to take the chill off on a brisk Florida morning (yes, it drops below freezing here!), but they're small enough to tuck in your bag if it warms up by afternoon.

Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to feature pink and red neck warmers. Keep in mind that if you're doing your own search on Etsy, you can also try searching for the term "scarflette."

This rolled rose scarflette from Cherished Vintage is right up my alley because it's made out of an upcycled felted sweater. I'm not normally a roses kind of gal, but I just love the sculptural look of these roses as they wrap around the neck.

The color on this New Orleans French berry scarf by Crochet Couture is so yummy that I could just about eat it! Plus it's cleverly designed -- you can wear it several ways.

And this vintage inspired ascot necktie by YarnCoture is sooooo classic. Can't you just see it with a belted trench coat and a cute pair of pumps? And yes, YarnCoture was also featured last week. Can I help it if she has so many cute things?

For a more modern look, try this tentacle wool knit cowl from bridget7187. I really dig the architectural shape of it, and it would easily dress up a simple knit top. I think I also like it because it reminds me of a fabulous cowl-neck sweater that my used to wear when I was a kid. I remember it being her special date-night sweater, and she always looked so pretty in it.

How darling is this felted wool owl scarflette by Rachel Herzog of TickleWorm? Of course I'm in love with it because: A) it's made out of an old sweater; and B) it has an owl on it. Sheesh. Am I that predictable? Don't miss the other cute items made from recycled sweaters that Rachel has for sale in her Etsy shop.

And finally, this "Love in Your Hands" scarf is made by Tatiana Agapcheva of TianaChe. She uses a wet felting technique to turn wool roving into amazing creations. I just love her peacock feather and strawberry fields neck warmers. Tatiana's work has been featured a number of times on Etsy's front page -- something I know I strive for!

Tune in next week for a quick how-to on making your own scarflette from -- what else -- an upcycled felted sweater!

SYTYC Week 1 -- "For You"

The competition is underway! Ten fun and inspiring craft projects are now posted on "So You Think You're Crafty." And they're all sitting there waiting patiently for you. Yes, you! It's up to you to vote for your favorite projects. The results will determine which nine lucky crafters can move on to Round 2.

As you may recall, I was so excited to be selected as one of the competitors in Round 2 of SYTYC. I thought long and hard about what project would best fit the "For You" theme and would best represent me as a crafter. I'm hoping it's strong enough that you can pick it out of a lineup and vote for it. I'm dying to make it Week 2, since I already have a fabulous project cooked up.

So please, be sure to go vote! Just look for the "For You" poll in the right sidebar. Thanks!

Easy fingerless gloves tutorial

As I said last week, I'm a big fan of fingerless gloves, sometimes called wrist warmers. They keep my hands nice and toasty even when it's freezing in my office.

There are a ton of great fingerless gloves for sale on Etsy, but I chose to make my own. I decide against knitting a pair since I'm a poor knitter -- I drop so many stitches it always looks like moths have already eaten holes in my pieces. Instead, opted to make a pair of fingerless gloves out of -- you guessed it -- an old wool sweater.

Old wool sweaters are a great raw material for crafters who are interested in making fun and unique accessories for themselves and their homes. Once felted, wool sweaters can be cut without the risk of unraveling.

(P.S. Sorry for the wonky color in the photos. Apparently the auto white balance on my camera wasn't cooperating.)

What you need:

• wool or wool-blend sweater
• washing machine
• laundry detergent
• scissors

What to do:

1. Stop by your favorite thrift store and pick up a sweater. You'll have best results with sweaters that are 100% natural fibers—100% wool, 100% merino, 100% cashmere, or blends of wool and other natural fibers like angora or alpaca. Sweaters that have nylon in them can pill during felting, although they don't always. Do not use sweaters that say they are machine washable. The yarn in these sweaters has been treated so that they can be machine washed, but the treatment prevents them from being feltable.
2. Fill your machine with enough hot water and leave room for the sweater to agitate. Add laundry detergent-—a little less than the recommended amount.—and an old towel or pair of jeans to help with the agitation. The hot water and detergent allow the kinky fibers of the wool to rub together and eventually interlock. Technically, this process is called fulling but many crafters use the term felting instead. Dry the sweaters in the dryer on medium or high.
3. Cut the sleeves off of the sweater.
4. Try on the cuffs and use a pin to mark where you would like the thumb holes to be. You don't have to cut thumb holes, but I've found that the gloves stay in place better with them.
5. Cut a dime-sized opening for each thumb hole. The openings will stretch a little as you wear the gloves, and you can always enlarge the openings later if you need to.
6. That's all! Now you can type to your heart's content without your fingers going numb.

Don't forget -- this is the first regular week of projects over at So You Think You're Crafty. I feel like I put together a project that really represents who I am as a crafter. I can't tell you which project is mine, but you might be able to guess. So please, stop by and vote!