Kittie Kat Stuffie | A FREE Printable

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Here’s a fun little craft project to do with your kiddos. A quick Kittie Kat stuffie they can color and help you stuff. Older kids might even be able to help with the sewing. I’ve made a printable PDF download for you all. You have a few options:

1) print onto inkjet compatible, paper-backed cotton or canvas. You can get this at some craft stores or online. Dharma Trading Co. has some here.

2) print the download onto iron-on transfer paper. You can also get that at Dharma Trading Co. here.

3) print out onto regular paper and use a lightbox and fabric markers to trace the design onto your fabric.

I printed onto inkjet compatible cotton canvas. Then got situated with my trusty fabric markers and some fabric dyes for the larger areas so i could paint them in a bit quicker.

Here’s a detail of the fabric texture. (Click the image to see it larger on your screen)

And here’s how she looked all color-i-fied.

Then i cut out the kittie leaving about 5/8″ of the fabric all around.

I used this piece as a template to cut a piece of fabric for the back of the kittie. I just used some woven, fun fabric from my stash. You don’t need much. I pinned the 2 pieces with right sides together.

Next, I stitiched a 5/8″ seam all around. The fabric marker bled through, so it gave me a good guide as far as staying very close to the black outline of the kittie. I backstitched on either side of an approximately 4″ gap at the base of the kittie. This will be the hole for turning and stuffing. Before turning, i trimmed close to my stitching line and added some notches around curves to make the turned shape lie smoothly. You might want to add a 2nd row of stitching very close to your first row if this little stuffie is likely to get a lot of wear.

Next, I turned and pressed the stuffie so she looked like this.

Then stuffed her with fiber fill and hand-stitched the opening shut. I instagrammed her keeping me company at my desk, see?

She might need some sequins…..but that’s for another day. : )

Oh! and see her cute back?

Click the image below for your PDF download if you want to make a few of your own! Meow!

 

Free Download – Pillow Faces

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Just for fun….make some reversible face pillows. Cute for a little girl, or quirky for a big girl who likes a bit of whimsy. Some of my Facebook buddies suggested the cases would be great slumber party crafts/favors or even a nice gift to mail to your little girl if she is at sleep away camp.

Use fabric paint to wing it and give it your own spin or download my full size printables to trace or transfer. i’d highly recommend Super Soft Transfer Paper from Dharma Trading if you go the iron-on route. It cannot be beat.

If you want to trace, use a lightbox or sunny window and tape the template pieces inside the case. Then trace and fill in with soft fabric paint. i like this kind from Tulip.

Piece of cake!!

Choose Joy

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In 5 days, a group of women, most of whom have never met each other OR Ashley Swenson Hackshaw, (of the now officially famous – since someone asked for her autograph yesterday!!) blog, Lil Blue Boo, will be posting their best creations on an online auction website. The goal is to help sweet Ashley defray mounting medical expenses that are inevitable when one fights like heck to beat cancer. Ashley is a designer, a writer, a mother, a wife, a daughter, sister, friend. I highly encourage everyone to read her blog. You will laugh a LOT, you will cry a little, and you will come away feeling crafty, inspired and empowered.

You can read about the auction here. And keep up with general auction updates and happenings on our friend, Amy’s blog over at Evy’s Tree.

Ashley didn’t ask us to do this. She would never. She is likely hugely uncomfortable (though grateful!) at the thought of so much love, prayer and attention being funneled her way. But that’s how it often is with those people we want most to help. They are humble, and giving, and lack even an ounce of self-centeredness.

Team Ashley, as we have come to call ourselves, is a motley crew. We are scattered all across the country (and CANADA!). We are crafters, business people, moms, friends, tellers of bad jokes(ha!)  and sayers of prayers. So many prayers.

We hope that many will join us, and the 200+ generous-beyond-words-contributors to this auction which runs from February 27 thru 29th. Wait til you see the selections! Each contribution has been eliciting oohs and ahhs as photos have been coming in. Its like Christmas! You can actually SEE the love in each item, the care that has been taken in its creation. Folks have pulled out all the stops and sent us the most beautiful things. You won’t want to miss it!

For me, i wanted to create a painting that summarized my admiration for Ash, this person i have come to know as we’ve done projects together over the past year or so. Knowing how she loves to document HER experiences, i went ahead and videotaped the creation of the CHOOSE JOY painting shown above. CHOOSE JOY might be all you see in the finished piece, but the underlying meaning?….yeah…..its hidden in the paint. Its what i really feel when i think of my friend. She is outwardly so unassuming and easygoing, but its so clear her heart is full, and her compassion and generosity fuel her from within. i picked a song that seems so beautifully appropriate to her. i’m absolutely positive God pointed me to it online as i was sifting thru a sea of possible soundtracks. i’m sharing it here and hope you will enjoy….and maybe bid? i would surely appreciate it.

Choose Joy from Stephanie Corfee on Vimeo.

To all of my friends, family, followers who are reading this; the other items i’m offering in the auction are shown below. If you think any of them would appeal to you or your loved ones, i’d be so grateful if you would share the info for the auction. Or, if auctions aren’t your thing, there is a secure DONATE link in the right sidebar here. Did i mention THANK YOU? in advance?

Have a wonderful day everyone! Choose to be joyful!

xo,s

DECORATOR SET – a pillow featuring my original artwork, a print with a quotation from Ann of Green Gables, and a3.5″ diameter decoupaged trinket bowl with one of my illustrations, JOYFUL

DOODLE SET – a wood-mounted print of my artwork, “Doodle Sky”, a signed copy of my book, Creative Doodling and Beyond, and a 3.5″ diameter trinket bowl decoupaged with my artwork, “JOEY”

BLUESY – an original 12×12 acrylic painting on canvas inspired by Lil BLUE Boo

CANDY NECKLACES – a 20×24 original acrylic on canvas

A CUSTOM ILLUSTRATION OF YOUR CHILD – a “Lil Fashionista” sketch in the style shown above (the above is an actual custom i did in the past for a client). This auction listing will be completed by my own little hands, but was purchased by my dear friend and repeat customer, Kristina, for DONATION into the auction. She asked me as soon as plans were underway if she could buy a custom slot from me as her contribution to the auction. Is she the sweetest ever? or what?

FREE Download! – WISH ornaments

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Here’s a sweet idea for a quick Christmas Eve crafting tradition!

Make some memories with this holiday WISH ornament you can print and color using just basic white cardstock and a B&W printer. Just Click the image below to start your FREE download. Color, cut out and fill-in your families wishes on the pieces. Glue them back to back for a nice, sturdy ornament. Punch a hole and thread with ribbon for hanging! i’ve included the “2011″ on the first ornament, but you can print multiples of the blank version so you’ll be able to repeat this tradition for many christmases to come and reflect back on past wishes each year as you decorate the tree. Imagine reading your kiddos’ 6-year-old wishes someday when they are 18, 28, 38….ah memories. Merry Christmas everyone!

 

Color-able Holiday Cards – a $1 download

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Just in time for the holidays! Here is a super-simple printable that just uses plain old letter size cardstock. Each print, cut down the middle, creates 2, A2 sized greeting cards that you or your kids can color for teachers, friends and family. The perfect festive craft to keep the kids busy for a while this holiday season. And an easy fix for those a-ha moments when you’ve forgotten a card and have no time to dash out to the store.

Here’s what it looks like:

Your download is immediately available upon purchase! Happy Holidays!

 

$1.00  COLOR-ABLE HOLIDAY CARDS DOWNLOAD

Buy Now

Tutorial – decoupage trinket trays

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TrinketTrayTuteA few months back, i posted some little decoupaged Trinket Trays and saucers. Everyone really liked them, so i thought i’d give you a little tutorial on the process i use to make them. It’s quite easy, you just have to pay attention to detail.

i originally found random little saucers and such at thrift stores and re-purposed them, but eventually needed more than i could find and ended up ordering round soy sauce dishes from KOYOshop.com. At the time of this post, their site was under construction/maintenance, but i got item YW22. 30 little dishes cost me $15. i thought that was a great deal : )

Anyway! onto the tutorial

1- set up your prints. Use a flexible/cloth tape measure to determine the diameter of your dish. the KOYO dishes are about 4″ in diameter. then set up circles with that diameter on the computer. i used favorite art prints and cropped them into my circles. You could also cut your circles from any thin, somewhat porous paper like magazines or wrapping paper.

2- Apply Mod Podge (glossy) to the inside of the bowl. Be neat. Try not to get it over the edge of the bowl and don’t goop it on. you want a nice even layer that won’t squoosh out too much over the edges when you press your paper disc on.

3- i always have a damp napkin or paper towel beside me so i can lightly press the back of my paper disc to it before applying to the bowl. it makes the paper limp and easier to work with as you coax it along the curved sides of the bowl.

4-place the center down first and gently press, don’t rub too much, toward the edges. Then i get into pie-crust mode. i use both thumbs inside the bowl and my fingers behind to work my way around the circumference of the bowl. you’ll get into a groove. Trust me. Make sure the paper is adhered right up to the edge, but don’t bend it over the edge. We’ll trim the excess off carefully with small scissors once the paper is fully dry and “crispy” again.

5- optional – i make a disk for the bottom of the dish with my logo for retail purposes and you might want to do so also…to include a little note or “love, mommy”

6 – Once the bowl is completely dry and trimmed, apply a layer of Clear Polyurethane or other varnish that is non-yellowing. Dry. Apply a 2nd coat.

* since i’m impatient, i discovered that i can poly the inside and bottom of the bowl at the same time and then rest the bowl on a roll of masking tape (the perfect size!) so that no wet surfaces are making contact with the table! so efficient!

7- When everything is completely dry, you can smooth out any remaining rough edges using an emery board or piece of fine sandpaper. i like the emery board. i sit in front of the tv and file away as though i’m doing my nails – haha

So that’s it! Give it a try and make some lovely keepsakes for loved ones. These are perfect for jewelry next to the sink, coins on the dresser, paperclips on your desk, or even your kiddo’s precious lost teeth on the nightstand for the tooth fairy! Just remember that they are not food-safe and also not meant to be submerged in water since they are composed with paper. Happy crafting!!