'Easy As' DIY Mini Peg Card Holders and 'Maze' a new fabric collection

Looking for a fun DIY craft this Christmas?

Mini wooden pegs can be individually stamped with sweet little messages ~ like Joy / Noël / Love / or even a persons name or initials.

When attached to brown paper packages wrapped up in string, mini pegs stamped with love, create an original handcrafted look for holding gift cards onto string. 

Also these cute little pegs are a fun retro way to display photos or cards around the home for example: hanging a collection of Christmas Cards onto a long length of ribbon.

Stamped Mini pegs could also make a beautiful 'handmade' gift on their own, simply presented together in sets, on natural card-stock (as shown) 

Also released today is a new Kristopher K Design called: "Maze" and a co-ordinating textural linen look design "Maze Linen" ... see the entire collection now available at Spoonflower here :)

'Easy As' - Peg Bag

I do so love making quick and simple 'easy as' projects, and this cute little peg bag is no exception.

To make the peg bag below, I used a fat qtr of Spoonflower's Ottoman Rib base fabric, and my fabric design: Silhouette Charcoal

I have included some 'easy as' instructions in the picture below, just incase you would like to make one too - Click photo to enlarge.

Enjoy - Cheers, Kris :)

New Fabric Collection - "Printemps"

I'm thrilled to introduce my new fabric collection "Printemps" 
- French for Spring.
These fun shabby chic designs, feature vintage colour palettes including pink, pale blue, taupe and white.
All designs in the Printemps Collection are now available at Spoonflower.

Sew Home - UK - Magazine Feature

Sending out a big thank-you this month to Sew Home & Style Magazine - UK
See their March 2014 issue (out now) featuring our fabric design: Shabby Rose -Blue Brown

Vintage Christmas Bunting Kit

Today I made up my Vintage Christmas Bunting Kit - featuring a vintage palette of Gold, Mint, Aqua and Cranberry. This Christmas bunting kit has 15 bunting flags in total - per fat quarter of Spoonflower fabric .... 

This really should be an "easy as" project that can probably be cut out and sewn up in under an hour (unless like me you rush ahead and on your first attempt sew the letters to your ribbon backwards - bunting saying "samtasirhc yrrem" - dosn't quite impart the Holiday feeling i was looking for - haha!!!)

oops...

Also this week I received in the post a copy of Homemaker Magazine UK (issue 12)  - featuring my design Paper Daisy - Summer Yellow (far right below)

Thank-you so much Vicky for sending this to me, I am so excited to see my work featured in the 2014 Spoonflower calendar accompanying the magazine.

I now have this lovely calendar on my studio wall to enjoy right throughout the year! Yay!

DIY - lampshade - Christmas Tree Skirt

Every year, our Christmas tree goes up on the 1st December, but this year we're a few weeks early as I wanted to show you all how I repurposed an old drum lampshade to make this "easy as" no sew Christmas Tree Skirt - Yay!

There really is no limit to the way this lampshade 'skirt' can be decorated to suit your Christmas Decor - and if desired the look can be updated again year after year!

  Instructions
1) Measure the width of your Christmas Tree Stand to ensure it fits inside the circumference of your lampshade.
2) Decorate your lampshade to suit 
- this could include using a variety of: paints, ribbons, tinsels, fabrics, stickers, papers etc (as pictured I've used a hot glue gun to attach lengths of natural twine - trimmed to fit)
3) Insert your Christmas Tree Stand and construct your tree as per the instructions
4) Decorate your tree and Enjoy!

D.I.Y "Antiqued" Christmas

Are you starting to think about Christmas?

I know my thoughts are already full of ideas for decorating the house this Christmas; so when I found packets of 12 mini silver bells, for $2 at Kmart - well I couldn't help but buy a few.

Now although cute - I wasn't really wanting that lovely, shiny, "new plastic" look that seems to be so readily available!

So in a few "easy as" steps I have transformed these cute little bells, to resemble old tarnished antique silver - Yay!

If you would like to see how I "antiqued" these little bells, see the steps below;

You will need:

Plastic Silver Decorations

Gold Acrylic Paint 

(I used Jo Sonja's 'Rich Gold')

Dark Purple Acrylic Paint 

(I used Jo Sonja's Dioxazine Purple)

Stencil Brush

Paper Plate

Method:

1) Squeeze a little, gold and purple paint, onto your paper plate

2) Add a little purple paint to the tip of your brush and remove excess paint 

(to do this - I make swirls with the brush, on a clean section of the paper plate until my brush is almost dry)

3) Dab the brush onto the decoration in random spots

4) Repeat on all decorations

5) Add a little gold paint to the tip of your brush and remove excess paint 

6) Dab the brush onto the decoration making sure to cover most of the purple paint 

7) Repeat on all decorations 

8) Allow to dry

9) Hang your "antiqued" silver decorations

Enjoy :)

New Fabric Designs :)

Hello,

I can't believe the last time I updated this Blog was Dec - WOW!

But please, lets not count the months as I'm just so happy to be back with some new Fabric Designs (I know, I know... finally!) 

Thank-you so much to everyone who has emailed in messages and photos of projects, made with Kristopher K fabrics throughout the year ... I really can't describe how much I appreciate all your wonderful kind words and support :)

First up is a new Floral Design featuring a subtle 'tone on tone' palette with a soft linen texture called 'Silhouette'

And I have returned to a perennially favourite subject of mine for my next design called 'Daisy Wash' : these daisies have been stylised with a bold graphic approach, and scattered throughout a washed, water-colour world.

Till next time ... (and hopefully thats a lot sooner than last time)

Take care, 

All the very best,

Kris :)

Happy Holidays :)

Merry Christmas 

&

Happy New Year!

Wishing you and your loved ones all the best for a safe and happy holidays

Thank-you so much for your support, and for sharing the journey with us in 2012 

... here's to new and inspiring 'print and pattern' adventures next year :)

xxx

Tutorial: Shabby Scrappy Christmas Stars!

Yay! Christmas for me, has come early, thanks to the special holiday 'Gift Wrap' print offer at Spoonflower! 

I was sooo excited when my gift wrap order arrived, it was totally ridiculous!!!

.... now all I need to do, is decide if I can actually bring myself to use it!

In the meantime, here is a Tutorial for some 'Easy As' :

Shabby Scrappy Christmas Stars

~ Enjoy :)

Gift Wrap (From Top: Vintage Christmas Stripes & Vintage Christmas) Tutorial: Shabby Scrappy Stars

You will need: fabric scraps, pen, cardstock, pins, cotton, needle, glass beads, stuffing, cord/ribbon.

SHABBY BEAD STAR:

~ Template : On cardstock draw a freehand star (12cm from point to point)

~ Pin template to a double layer of fabric 

~  Cut out fabric stars 

~ Pin fabric stars (wrong sides together)

~ Sew/bead together (5mm from edge) leaving a small gap in one side

~ Fill star with stuffing 

~ Insert ends of looped cord, and continue sewing to close gap.

SCRAPPY STAR:

~ Using template above as a guide draw an addtional smaller star template (about 10cm across from point to point)

~ Pin 12cm template to a double layer of fabric and cut out fabric stars 

~ Pin 10cm template to a double layer of (contrasting coloured) fabric and cut out fabric stars 

~ Place 1 small star onto 1 large star (right sides up) and pin together 

(creates 1 side of final star) 

Sew fabrics together (very ROUGHLY 5mm from edge) and continue, till you have sewn right around the star twice 

~ REPEAT the last step with the remaining large and small star!

~ Pin sewn stars (wrong sides) together

~ Sew together (5mm from edge) leaving a small gap in one side

~ Fill star with stuffing 

~ Insert ends of looped cord, and continue sewing to close gap.

© Kristopher K 2012 - All rights reserved.

Mini Print Collection

All new 'Mini Print Collection' 

- Four mini prints for maxi fun!

Today I decided to make some cute fabric gift tags with my new 'Mini Print' samples:(from left) 

Ditzy Day, Stripes, Abstract and Diamond Stamp 

I love this time of year, as my crafting box finds its way to the centre of our dining table and I start to think about decorating the house for Christmas!

It's a good thing however, looking at my depleted fabric stash (while drooling over the new Christmas Fabrics at Spoonflower) ... that I'm just in time to take advantage of Spoonflower's upcoming Free Shipping Day on Thursday November 15th, 2012!

Oh! and if Free Shipping isn't cool enough (yes! even to Australia - whoohoo) The fabulous folk at Spoonflower are printing selected designs in the Spoonflower marketplace for a limited time on Gift Wrap!

I think Christmas has surely come early for me this year.

... Happy Crafting :)

Fabulous!

It is always such a treat for me seeing 

Kristopher K Fabrics in Action!

- thank you all so much for sending me your photos, links and updates : Below are a few fabulous creations, that I've just recently received - WOW!

...

Chevron Garden Styled Wedding by: VITALIC PHOTO

Design: Chevron Chic - Mini - Silver Grey

Design: Chevron Chic - Mini - Silver Grey

Design: Chevron Chic - Maxi - Silver Grey

...

Pillows: by Anson & Gonzalez

Design: Chelsea Road

Design: Fretwork Fire

...

Tote Bag by TwoBeardsPlusMomma

Design: Wild Welsh Stag 18" x 18"

Wicket Press Fabric Collection

Below is a selection of designs from my new fabric collection: Wicket Press

Organic "hand stamped" lines repeat on linen textured backgrounds in fresh contemporary colour palettes

"Easy As" Recycled Mini Glass Vase

I love using old glass bottles to display flowers, fresh from the garden.
I find however, that mini glass bottles (recycled from supermarket juice bottles) used on their own can be wobbly at the best of times ... so in order to make these little glass bottles more stable, I decided to join several together, simply by wrapping them with twine!


To make these "Easy As" Mini Glass Vases:
1) Place (a minimum of two) mini glass bottles side by side
2) Wrap twine around the outside of all your mini glass bottles (If joining more than two bottles you will probably need another pair of hands to help you hold the bottles.)
3) Wrap twine tightly between each of the bottles (enough to stop the glass from touching)
4) Fill your new vase with water and flowers and enjoy :)

Happy New Year!

Sorry for the lateness of this post (I mean really ... can you believe it's the 1st of February already) ... but I am so excited to-day to be back in the studio, and I just wanted to shout out a great BIG .... 

☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°• Happy New Year •°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆

and 

Thank-you, to you all :)

 

Your wonderful support and continued encouragement has made 2011 a totally amazing year for me!

I am still over the moon, to have discovered I have once again made it onto the list of Top Indie Fabric Designers @Spoonflower (Making the grade for 2011 at number 14 - Wow :)

Wishing you all my very best for a Fabulous, Happy and Healthy, 2012!

❤ Kris

Image above (via Spoonflower's new create fabric web page) includes our designs: Lucky Four (pictured top) and Paper Daisy - Provence Blue (pictured lowest) ~ So cool to be featured ... thank-you Spoonflower :)

Merry Christmas :)

Wishing you and your loved ones, a very 
Merry Christmas 

and a fabulous fun and festive holiday season!

Thank-you all so much for your wonderful support and encouragement throughout 2011 :)

See you all in 2012!

Cheers, Love Kris 

xxx

(Designs above from my new collection: Faded French :)

"Easy As" Fabric Roses

Do you like crafting at Christmas Time? 
Christmas is usually my favourite time of year to sit around the dining table, chatting and crafting with friends and family.
I've always loved easy - yet - Oh! so pretty crafts that add a vintage or handmade feel to your decorating - I think pretty fabric roses fit this brief perfectly and best of all they can be made at any time of year!

Easy As - Fabric Rose - Tutorial!
- Tear a strip of fabric / old scraps of cotton and/or linen fabrics are perfect for these pretty roses
(Note: changing the width and length of your fabric strips will create interesting variations in your roses
- Fray the edges of your fabric strip
- Tie a knot in one end of your fabric strip
- Wrap the remaining fabric strip around the knot (twisting as you go) 
- As you twist the fabric use a needle and thread to stitch (hold) fabric in place (or hold fabric in place with glue from a hot glue gun etc)
- When you have almost finished wrapping your rose, tuck the end of your fabric strip to the underside of your new rose
- Your new fabric rose can then be sewn onto ribbon to decorate presents etc
-Enjoy :)

Fabric Gift Tag Tutorial

It's the 1st December! - can you believe it?

For us the 1st December has always been the day when our old dusty box of Christmas Crafty Goodness gets pulled down from the back of the cupboard, and our home is decorated for Christmas (although I'm always so tempted to start earlier)

So today as well as decorating the tree, I've made some personalised Gift Tags (with a lovely handmade shabby feel) for the numerous "brown paper packages" soon to be placed under the tree!

Below is a little DIY tutorial, for my Fabric Gift Tags  ... Happy Decorating :)

Fabric Gift Tag Tutorial

Materials

1 x 3.5" x .5" cardstock rectangle (per gift card)

1 x 7" x 1" linen or burlap fabric rectangle (per gift tag)

Sewing Machine and thread (to match fabric)

Scissors

Hole punch and eyelet kit (or a button and thread)

Stamps, Stencil Kit or Fabric Paint to decorate

Method

- Cut cardstock rectangle to size

- Cut fabric rectangle to size and fray edges

- Wrap cardstock rectangle with the fabric rectangle to create fabric gift card

- Sew around all edges of gift tag (to the inside of the frayed edge)

- Using a hole punch make a hole in your gift tag about .5" in from one end of your gift tag (Or attach a button at one end of your tag)

- Trim any extra fabric /cardstock created by hole punch, to ensure a flat surface for eyelet

- Using hardware supplied with your hole punching kit attach eyelet

- Stamp, stencil, or paint your gift tag with a message or your recipients name etc

- Attach ribbon or twine (through the eyelet or around the button) and attach gift tag to your gift

- Voila :)

"No Sew" Christmas Ornament Tutorial

... seeing all the Christmas Decorations starting to appear in the stores earlier this week, I decided today to make some new fabric ornaments for the tree! ...
(I know ... I know ... where has the year gone?)

So using fabric swatches of my design "Linen Look Stars" in Cinnamon and Mint (as above) I made these - So Simple! - So easy! - No Sew Ornaments :)
Below is a little Tutorial, incase your wanting to make some too :)

"No Sew" Christmas Ornament Tutorial

Materials:
1 x 65mm Polystyrene Ball (per ornament)
1 x 8" square of fabric (per ornament)
Pins
Twine

Instructions:
- Tear 8 even strips of fabric
- Place 2 strips of fabric together at right angles
- Continue to add strips of fabric (as shown)
- Place Polystyrene Ball in the center of the fabric strips
- Wrap the fabric strips around the polystyrene ball
- Fasten fabric in place, with a pin (and add a loop of twine under pin if hanging ornament)
- Enjoy :)