I'm back, after a long break from blogging and Etsy and best of all I’ve actually got something to talk about, new stuff. I've long played around with this idea and finally settled on a design I love. My new line of snack bags feature and embellished natural cotton exterior and super cute appliqué images.

 

Earlier this summer I stumbled across one of the coolest blogs, little free radical, (http://littlefreeradical.com/2012/03/04/20-latt-childrens-table-chairs-makeover-d-i-y-ikea-hack-little-free-radical/)  She took a simple Ikea table and chair and turned them into a stunning personalized addition to her toddlers room.

Now that August has arrived and I'm in full get ready for school mode I finally finished my own version of this "hack". As you can see our set of Latt Ikea table and chairs has been used, scratched and stained in the three years we've had it.  It took me a week to paint, cover, sew seat cushion and talk my dad into cutting down the plexi glass to cover the top. Overall the finished product is great and the project was pretty easy. 

Cautionary notes:
1. Our Loews would not cut down the plexi glass to fit the table top
2. sewing cushion covers for the chairs was tricky to smoothly cover the one inch notch
3.  I would recommend priming the wood first to cover blemishes on the wood so they don't show though.  
4. gluing fabric to  a flat surface without distorting the pattern is not as easy as it looks. 

Spring is still tea weather in the pacific north west. Personally I drink hot tea all year round, but that's just me. Corry has created a lovely tea themed treasury and  included one of  my coaster in it. Thanks. I should also point out that I love the teat time clock by LAMdesigns (www.LAMdesigns.etsy.com) and the tea cup poster print from Handz (www.handz.etsy.com). Really all the items are great. 

My Zakka Themed Tea Time Coasters were featured in this lovely Treasury!

I love cross stitch, partially because there seams to be endless ways bend and shape a rather traditional art form into something modern, even edgy.  While I tend to focus on expressing my geekyness by using sci-fi quotes and glow in the dark embroidery thread I’ve recently been exploring ways to apply cross-stitch other items.  Rusty the coin purse is my most recent product now for sale in etsy shop (stitchduchess.etsy.com), I first made rusty in the fall as a badge.  Now rusty adorns a coin purse. The purse is 4.25 inches wide and 3 inches tall. I’ve added white cotton lace and thin line of chocolate polka dot fabric to front. To make sure that you don’t loose Rusty I’ve also attached a twill tape loop and key ring.  This little pouch is lined with sew in interfacing and matching chocolate polka dot cotton in the interior.