The Trading Post

There is a cool new site called The Trading Post.

The site was created to help women promote their businesses/shops/blogs through trading their creative talents.  Who doesn't need help doing that?  And, to make it even better, it is free!  Perfect for anyone needing a little boost to their blog or business.

Here's how it works:

You send Jessie an email telling her that you would like to trade something you have made; either from your blog, business or shop.  You send her the product (so she can write you a great review) and she will set you up with your own feature post and advertise for you....for free (have I mentioned that already?).  

On the day you are featured, others (this could be anyone, including you if it's not your product) can offer things they have made as trades for your item by leaving a comment on the post featuring your product.  At the end of the day, YOU get to choose who you would like to trade with out of those who have offered trades.  A sure way to get something you will like.  

Once the trader and tradee have sent their products, the trade is complete!  Then you'll probably have to sign up for another round because you'll have so much fun trading and choosing who to trade with.  For more information and details on how to get started, click here.  

Jessie has other great things on her site including live auctions on Fridays where products are donated and then bid on.  When the auction ends, you keep the products you win and Jessie donates 100% of the profit to a family in need or a non-profit organization.  To read more about these auctions click here.  

Whether you are looking to promote your business/blog/shop or just looking to get some cool handmade items, this is the place for you.

Here are some items that have been traded in the past:

Owl rattle by endee made.

Your favorite print from Sugar Fresh.

Coasters from Squackdoodle.

You are going to love our new sponsor The Trading Post.  I hope you check them out!

***AND I have two tutorials coming this week....stay with me.  We've had family in town, been battling the sickies, and the small one is teething.  It's been a rough week for the craftiness but there has been some; don't you worry.   Until tomorrow!

Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Benzie Felt Fanfare giveaway is...

Congratulations Valerie!  I hope you enjoy choosing your favorite felt colors to add to your stash.  

 I'll be contacting you to get you your prize.  Thanks for entering!

Last Day To Enter

Happy Saturday everyone!

First, today is the last day to enter the Benzie Felt Fanfare giveaway.  Click here to take a look.

Second, I've had a lot of interest through comments and emails about making a tutorial for the smocked bubble dress.  I'll get working on it this week.  You can expect to see a tutorial soon along with a few other projects I have in the works for this week.

Thanks for reading!  I have such great readers and I LOVE hearing from you.

Anthro-Inspired Knotted Headband

I love this knotted headband from Anthropologie...

but I had a problem similar to the one that forced me to make these Anthropologie Inspired Pillow Cases.  Who really wants to spend $28.00 on a headband?  Not me!  So I made it instead.  

It was easy and free because I used supplies I already had on hand.  

Here's how:

Materials:

• 4 scraps of material
• 1" wide plastic headband (mine is 1"in the middle and gets slightly smaller at each end)
• glue and glue gun
• fray check (optional)

Construction:

1.  Cut your pieces.  

a.  3" x 16"

b.  2" x 3" (cut out two)

c.  5" x 11" (this is generous in length)

2.  Iron.

Take your longest piece (a) and mark the center with a fabric marker on the wrong side of the fabric (my finger is marking this spot on my strip).  Iron over a 1/4 inch seam starting at the mark and gradually increase to a 1/2" seam at the end of the piece.  **If your headband is 1" all the way to the ends, iron it over 1/4 all the way down the strip. 

Do the same for the other end of the same side.  Repeat for the opposite long edge on same fabric piece.  You will have something that looks like this: 

Iron the two small pieces (b) by folding both sides in toward the center like strip on the left.

Fold it again so all the raw edges are hidden in the center.

Take the last piece (c) and fold both edges in toward the center.

3.  Tie a loose knot in the center of the same strip (c).

Twist the ends so the raw edges are facing down and the knot is facing up toward you.  It will look almost like a bow.

Set the knot aside.

4.    Cover the headband.  

Take the long piece of fabric.  Place one end of the headband on the end of the fabric strip.  Put glue directly on the headband close to the edge nearest you.  Fold the edge nearest you over the the headband and press.  

 I found that my material stretched as I glued.  If your material is stretchy I would recommend starting in the middle of the headband and fabric so the middle of the fabric (where it is largest) will line up with the middle of the headband.  This is only important if your headband gets smaller at each end.

Put glue directly on the headband next to the fabric you just glued down and fold over the other side of the fabric and press down to glue.  Be sure you pull the fabric tight so that it is not loose but instead fits snuggly around the headband. 

Continue doing this, one side after the other, until the entire headband is covered.  Keep pulling the material tight as you glue so there are no wrinkles or bubbles when you look at the front of the headband.  Since my material stretched, I had excess fabric which I trimmed before the next step.  

5.  Cover the ends.  

Put glue on the front and back of the end of the headband and sandwich one of the small pieces (b) around the headband end.   Press the fabric into the glue to hold.     

Wrap one end of the fabric around to the back and glue in place.  Wrap the other end around and glue on top of the first end.  Use the fray check on the exposed raw edge to keep from fraying.  Repeat with the end.

Now you have a completely fabric covered headband that looks pretty cute on it's own.  You can stop here if you'd like.  See?  

**ignore the slightly greasy, unwashed hair.... I had no where to be yesterday.

6.  Attach the knot.

Try the headband on to figure out where you want the knot to attach.  Usually slightly off centered.  Mark it with a fabric marker or with your finger.  Place glue over the marked spot and put the center of the knot over the glue.

Wrap one end of the fabric under and glue on the inside of the headband.

Wrap the other end of the fabric under and glue on top of the first end.  Trim excess fabric and use fray check to seal exposed edges.  

You are done!  Easy peasy.

Now excuse me while I clean up the fabric scraps my daughter chewed on while I worked because she was being ignored.  So much for folding and organizing those scrap drawers last week.  

Happy Friday!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  I know I will.

Oh and don't forget; only two more days to enter the Benzie Felt Giveaway!  Don't miss out!  

New Sponsor- WhoopdWhoop

Have you heard of the new site whoopdwhoop?

Whoopdwhoop is a unique, currency free marketplace where individuals can list their handmade creations and 'shop' for other's handmade creations- all without the use of money. Points, or whoops, are earned by listing and swapping your handiwork.  Then you use your "whoops" to buy handmade items from others by shopping within the whoopdwhoop community. 

In the words of it's creators, "It's the perfect way to partake in some retail therapy and not feel guilty!  It's free, it's easy, and it's fun." 

Who's husband is not going to love them for buying on whoopdwhoop instead of other stores?  Seriously!  You won't even have to tell them about your "purchases" because you won't be spending any money!  

Here are some things I found on the whoopdwhoop site that I am dying to get my hands:

(if you sign up for whoopdwhoop you can click directly on the links below to get to the item)

This Polka Dot and Sunshine Headband by Nichole.

These Susie Earings in Salmon by diy kinda girl.

Or one of these Crocheted Owl Hats by Lindsay.

Needless to say, I'm already signed up.  Guess you'll have to sign up too if you want to see what I am going to post on the site!