Red, White & Blue!

Independence Day parties are casual and fun-- a perfect time to make some easy decor, even last minute.

Here's what I'm doing:

Did you know Ball made special star-studded glass jars just for the big Celebrate America 250?  I picked up some jars, flags, twine, battery tea candles and ribbon at the craft store.  

Of course, we've got lots of buttons and spools on hand--and an assortment of patriotic cotton-print fabrics.  I tore strips of my favorite fabrics about 1" wide to tie at the top of jars and gather into rosettes. 

Ribbons and fabric strips are also fun to wrap around spools and candles.  Fasten with a drop of hot glue.  Finish by stitching through a button's holes with embroidery floss or pearl cotton.  Knot and clip the thread on the back of the button then hot glue the button to a rosette center or ribbon knot.  Don't miss the flag stand made from a spool--check the blog cover photo.  I'm going to want to make a whole bunch of these for party favors.

Pour some buttons into a jar and set a candle on top for instant party atmosphere.  I was going for a more rustic look in the next photo, so tied twine around the jar tops.  

Want to up your game?

Click HERE to hop over the Patriotic shop for red, white and blue inspiration!

Happy 4th!

It's Fall!  

Here in the Midwest it's been hot and dry for weeks but finally Fall is in the air.  The last of the monarch butterflies are passing through, and it's time to savor the golden light and see the art in faded flowers and spindly stems.  

You might remember this fox from our long-ago Woodland series.  Now he's reimagined in Feels Like Fall.  The design was cross stitched, then we embroidered grassy stems on top with hand-dyed pearl cotton--the perfect backdrop for a scattering of FOLKfloral buttons.  

Autumn Palette

To create just the right combination of rusty orange and golden yellow, we test-dyed lots of FOLKfloral buttons and chose our favorites for a SEED pack.  A little bit of faded teal adds interest.

If you like adding buttons to your needlework designs, SEEDS are perfect.  Each pack of 35 buttons has its own palette.  This one is Autumn Glory.

Tiny Hoop

The Fox Wreath is newest in our series of embroidered Folk Gardens, each finished in a 3" hoop.  These sweet little projects can be completed in just a couple of evenings.  The button pack includes the pattern and instructions--plus the gingham fabric.

This is the first time we've shown the new acorn buttons.  A little bit of stitching gives each acorn a beautifully textured cap.

Pumpkins and Pins

Our wooly pumpkin pincushions are so popular that it's difficult to keep them in stock.  The vendor says more of the larger ones are due in any day, but meanwhile we have lots of the 3cm size.  They are very cute with a single Just Pin--and of course we have plenty of those.  New pins are the Lazy Sunflower Solo, Pumpkin Patch set of 3 and the Autumn Color Set--4 pins for the price of three, only while the current stock lasts.

           

Want to Shop?

On the website, we've set up an Autumn Shop.  Just Autumn, nothing spooky.  Apparently, including clay buttons, we have more than 90 products in that category now--patterns and charts, buttons and pins.  

Enjoy--and Happy Fall!