Tag Archive | tips

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today, is raspberry zinger, as you can see from the tea stain on my mug. The sun is out, the birds are singing, and all is right with the world. And, after you read today’s post, you will probably chuckle and agree.

Today I bring you a story of lost and found while foraging for this and that….

I am sure all of us have walked into a room, and paused, wondering just what the point of the journey was. Or another example is foraging in your fabric stash (mine is 40 boxes strong in the closet behind me), looking for that special scrap or section of fabric you knew, I mean really KNEW was in that box that you looked into the day before, or was it last week?

Today’s journey started with a song that Neil Diamond was singing, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore. With a smile, I looked at the bunch on the table that my hubby had brought home the day before, lovely sunflowers, chrysanthemums, and those funky green things. Then I was looking at the crazy-pieced block hanging on my mood board, and thought sunflowers, yes! that is what it needs. So, I found some porcelain sunflower, rose, and bee buttons that I thought would be just right. Then I was thinking about the embroidered sunflower and bee I had stitched, for my book, Hand Embroidery Dictionary. So I pulled out the samplers and there it was, the embroidered Alphabet Sampler that I had been looking for, last week, that was supposed to have been in a folder for a new class proposal.

Tip: Serendipity, enjoy it, celebrate it, and let inspiration come in the quiet moments of reflection.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Nov21

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today, is a cup of spiced masala chai tea. Rich, warm, and just right for the season. I am sitting at the kitchen table, enjoying the decorations that I put up a few weeks ago.

Here is a peak into more of the directions that I put up a few weeks ago. I really love to use owls, as we have barn owls in the neighborhood, and you can hear them talking to each other at night.

I also, of course love to use pumpkins, which come in all kinds of colors, and materials.

Here is a close-up of the Oliver the Owl pattern that you can find here. The mushrooms are a gallery piece that I created for one of my books.

My tip today is simple, enjoy this week with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving Week to You! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Oct3

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today, is actually a cup of hazelnut coffee. I am sitting here enjoying the early fall weather, it was down in the 50’s this morning when I woke up. I am so excited today, as it is that time of year to get out my collection of fall decorations!

We are all busy, I get it! It is hard enough to dust, let alone decorate. But I think giving your home a “mini make-over” each holiday can be fun. I know that it makes me happy, and I bet it will do the same for you!

Tips:

Set aside a dedicated space for holiday displays.
Use small groups of collections and treasures to create a theme.
Work one a room at a time, this way you can work at your own pace, and over several days if needed.
Work slowly, with a purpose, and enjoy the process.

Happy tea drinking, decorating and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

May2

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today is Celestial Seasoning’s Lemon Zinger! Flavorful with a bit of a zap! A bit like the color explosion in the photo. I love to shop thrift stores, and find wonderful bits of colorful pottery like the examples above. I have a collection of wooden boxes that I painted, and stacked into a shelving unit. I use these to store my collection of “kitchen” finds, and hand-me-down utensils.

Tip: Thrift Store Shopping

When you first start out, look for colors that you like, or colors that match some of the pieces that you already have on display.
Make sure that the pieces you are going to buy are in good condition, and don’t have any noticeable chips or big cracks!
When you get your treasures home, give them a good cleaning, preferably in the dishwasher.
When you are shopping, set yourself a price limit, that way you will still have money left over for a cup of tea or coffee!

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Upcycle it With Embellishments

Mar25

I am happy to say that I am now a teacher for C&T Publishing online learning platform, Creative Spark! I have a new lecture, Upcycle it with Embellishments.

Upcycle Pre-Loved Clothing and Accessories

With trends like “thrift flipping,” where people find unique ways to repurpose secondhand goods, learning to add embroidery and embellishments to fabric is a key skill in transforming dull or out-of-style finds into unique wardrobe staples. In this online course, I will show you how to give your current wardrobe or thrift store finds a unique look with hand or machine-stitched trims, embroidery, and vintage treasures. I hope to inspire all of you makers to reimagine your preloved and current stash.

Download the handout and follow along with the video and demos. I show you how to take an old tie to create a rose corsage; create new embellishments with unused jewelry parts; add lace, yo-yos, buttons, and pins; and cut a doily to make a lace appliqué. In each demo, you’ll learn essential embroidery and ribbonwork tips and techniques, such as knowing what dyes and glues to use and when to use them.

What you will learn

Add embroidery stitches to enhance a design or repair damage.
Sew on a collection of buttons or use vintage jewelry to add interest or a theme.
Turn an unused item like a tie or lace table runner into something wearable.
Hand or machine stitch lace or ribbons to the bottom edge of a vest or jacket to extend the length or to add interest.
Hand stitch ribbonwork flowers, doilies, and lace to add a feminine touch, hide a hole or a stain, or add design interest.
Your Course includes access to videos, downloads, the Creative Spark private community, and discussion with your instructor. Your course content does not expire.

Bonus

+ This course includes a 9-page handout to refer to throughout the course. The handout includes instructions for a few projects as well.

Happy Stitching and Thrifting to you! ~Christen

Tips on Tuesdays and National BUTTON WEEK, Day 2!!!

Mar14

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe! And in honor of National Button week March 13-19, 2023 I thought that I would share a few of my favorite buttons, and buttons, and lots and lots of buttons.

Tea today is just a cup of JO, though my cup is fitting as I want to talk about Hats and to be more specific, novelty “hat” shaped buttons. I think that these are some of the funnest buttons I have in my collection.

Well Hello Dolly: This piece started these two printed doll panels, which came in a little gift box. The two ladies, Alice and Jeanne, were supposed to be cut out, stitched, and stuffed. But I couldn’t do this because I fell in love with the printed floral sections on the panels, which would have been discarded, so instead, I just cut the panels into blocks. I pieced the blocks with vintage floral jacquard ribbons from the 1940’s, along with narrow satin, picot edge, and novelty print ribbons. I decided there was never going to be a more perfect venue for my hat and flower button collection! Other embellishments include vintage celluloid pins, leaf trim, and ribbonwork flowers.

Measured Party Foul: A machine quilted base of pieces of left-over fabrics and a gifted bag full of selvage edge strips becomes the back-ground for a collection of whimsical friends. An old tape measure was used for the body of each bird, with fun googly eyes, rickrack legs, laundry pin wings, shoe beads and buttons, and more hat buttons! Other embellishments are rickrack and ribbonwork flowers, vintage buttons, glass mushrooms, vintage tin pins, and metal charms.

Tips: Where to Find the Good Stuff

For vintage items like the “hat” shaped buttons, search on eBay, you will have a broad range of vendors that specialize in vintage items, as well as the novice seller, who is “de-stashing”.
Check your local thrift and charity shop stores, they may have a sewing and craft section.
Check to see if there is a vintage swap meet in your area, sometimes these are held monthly, or yearly.
For the newer items like the hat charms or shoe button, bead, or charms, check your local craft store, or favorite on-line source.
And be patient, don’t be discouraged if you don’t find these items right away, this collection took me several years to acquire.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Jan17

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

While I was sipping my chamomile tea today, I got to thinking about crochet lace gloves and accessories, imagining a ladies’ tea from an era when you actually wore gloves. What a nice thought to have! I was lucky enough to find the gloves and reticule on eBay, for a moderately reasonable price. I was also lucky that they were not discolored in anyway, which I can’t say for other pieces that I have rescued! That brings me to today’s tip, cleaning your vintage laces.

Tip: Cleaning Your Cotton Laces

Clean like colors together in the same wash bath. Use a medium/warm water for light colors, warm/cool water for bright colors, and cold water for dark colors. Use a delicate cleaner such as Restoration Linen Cleaner or Mama’s Miracle Linen Soak.

Fill a tub full of water, add the cleaning product, swish the water.
Place the lace in the water, making sure there is room for the bits and pieces to move around.
Soak the items for 25-30 minutes, then RINSE well.
If the water is still dirty, repeat the wash and soak process.
Once the lace is clean, drape each length over a plastic hanger, or lay out on a cotton bath towel.
If pressing is necessary, use distilled water in the spray bottle with your iron set on the lowest temp.
Press with the wrong side down, and be mindful to not crush any raised pattern.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Jan10

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today is going to be Ambrosia Plum, just because the name matches the colors in my mug! Hah! The calendar is an old one, but the colors here too seemed appropriate. And as luck would have it, I am wearing a purple sweatshirt. Styling it here at my desk!

So, let’s talk about color and design. I think that everyone who creates asks this question: what colors should I work with, what design should I use? When my students ask this question, I suggest to start with colors that please them, or match their home decor, because if you start with something you don’t like, it is just that much harder to finish!

Wild Persimmons

This is a gallery piece featured in my book Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing. I used it as an example to explain my design process. For me, each project has a story to tell, and all of the parts and pieces you chose to create with, help to tell that story. I chose a crazy-piece base design, because my fabrics were all very small or scraps left over from other projects. Notice how the colors of the base, differ slightly than the embroidery and embellishment materials. In some cases I used both lighter and darker components, allowing these pieces to be seen as well as the pieced fabric base.

Tip: Have a Plan

Once you have gathered all of the components for a project, make a swatch card of fabric, threads, and beads. Then decide how to tell the story, through color, design, and the components you chose.

Theme/title: this may start with the colors that you choose, or the embroidery or embellishments.
Color: the colors of the palette can be traditional, subtle, or complex.
Fabric: this is the most important component, but should not overpower the embroidery and embellishments.
Construction: is determined by the quantity of fabric you have, and the piecing techniques you want to work with.
Embroidery design: the embroidery and embellishments can follow the design of the base, or flow around the design.
Embroidery materials and embellishments: select a variety of threads, beads, and other components to work with.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Dec20

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today is “Yogi Green Tea”, sipping and smiling as I nibble on the shortbread that I just made. I use the recipe in the Joy of Cooking, which was a gift from my friend Jeri (many, many, years ago). The book is falling apart, and the binding is no longer attached to the cover, but I wouldn’t trade it for all the world. It is special to me.

Another thing that I find special, are the memories of making sugar cookies, using aluminum cookie cutter molds as a kid. I have been collecting molds from thrift stores, garage sales, or on eBay, where ever I can find them. I decorated this wire tree with cookie cutter molds and old Christmas light-bulb ornaments. The bulbs had belonged to my mom and dad, and were used on our tree when we had growing up.

My tip today, is to use an item/s that you find special to you, and incorporate them into your daily life.

vintage cookie cutter ornaments — vintage cookie cutter and Christmas light ornaments

Tip: Ornaments from Recycled Treasures

Note: Always practice safety when using a glue gun. Keep a glass of water on hand to dip your finger into just in case you burn yourself.

Cookie Cutter Ornaments

Gather together a collection of vintage aluminum cookie cutter molds. Follow the directions below for each ornament.

Cut an 8″ length of 1/4″ ribbon. Fold and tie this into a knot, for the loop.
Glue the center of the loop on top of the cookie cutter mold with a low temp glue gun.
Cut a 12″ length of 5/8″ ribbon. Tie this into a bow.
Open up the loop of ribbon, and glue the bow on top of the center of the loop.
Glue a purchased ribbon flower on top of the bow.
Use the loop to hang the ornament.

Light-bulb Ornament

Gather together a collection of vintage tree bulbs. Follow the directions below for each ornament.

Curve one end of a metal ornament hook to fit over the top metal portion of the bulb.
Glue the curved portion of the hook to the bulb with a low temp glue gun.
Glue one or more purchased ribbon flowers on top of the curved portion, with a low temp glue gun.
Use the hooked end of the ornament hook to hang the ornament.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Nov29

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today is a cuppa English breakfast tea, with a splash of milk, and my favorite breakfast in the world. My hubby was a doll and made French toast for me this morning. What a guy! As he was cooking, I was getting my beading project laid out on the work table, so that the colors are organized and ready for today’s project.

I am working on a small piece this week, a beaded heart, from my class Beadoodlery. These little brooches make nice gifts, and give you a place to display your beading talents.

When I teach a beading class, I talk to my students about the types of threads that can be used and how to work with them. Below are a couple of tips that I would like to share.

Tips: Beading Threads and Needles

Threads

Silamide comes either on a card, or on a spool, which makes it easy to cut off a length and thread through the needle. I use the June Taylor thread holder for the spool, which also has a convenient place for your scissors and needles.
Nymo and S-lon come on a small bobbin, which truthfully can fly across the room at any moment while cutting off a length of thread. UGH!

To counter act that issue, and to prevent my spool from becoming the latest cat toy I use these ideas.

If you have an unused lipstick holder, it makes for a great storage case for those small bobbins. You can pull out a short length of thread from the color that you choose, close the lid, then pull out the length of thread you want to work with.
Another trick, is to pin the bobbin onto a pincushion with a T-pin. Hold onto the pincushion, and pull off the length of thread that you want to work with.

Needles

Use a refrigerator magnet to keep your needles organized while working on a project
To store your needles, cut an empty plastic bead tube, to fit the size of your needles. Take the cap off the cut end, and place it onto the short end of the container.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

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Christen's Creations

Creative Expressions from a fiber artist, beader, ribbon artist and embroiderer.

Tag Archive | tips

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Upcycle it With Embellishments

Upcycle Pre-Loved Clothing and Accessories

What you will learn

Bonus

Tips on Tuesdays and National BUTTON WEEK, Day 2!!!

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays