It is the first Monday of the month and time for the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop! AND to celebrate (inter)National Craft Month we have a super giveaway, a collection of products from FabScraps,  https://www.facebook.com/pages/FabScraps/112579348780638?ref=ts&fref=ts. Julie McGuffee shared these products as a Trade Show find on TV, http://youtu.be/-OZjx6Yhmg0.

oh and I sew love to make aprons! Have a few pretty ones I am creating to wear at Quartermain House B&B.

.....and wait there is even more, beginning March 7th, we are also hopping in Buttons Galore DCC Blog Hop! Love their buttons!

....and the Smoothform Design Team was just announced. I am pleased to be part of their team along with several very talented professional designer friends! We have a super creative blog with a new project for every day of the month!

So here is to National Craft Month, to crafting, sewing, painting, embossing, doodling, to creativity! Have fun!

The DCC Designer Crafts Connection is hopping, the first Monday of every month. June's theme is Picnic ideas. I don't have a picnic basket but the take out containers I have gave me an idea to make a mini basket.

I enjoy a picnic, sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit like watermelon, tasty fare but also a little messy so what about an apron for a picnic. A teatowel apron, one you can wipe your hands on and keep the picnic outfit clean and dry! This handy little apron rolls up and fits perfectly in the take out box. Makes a great hostess gift too!

Check out the rest of the hop with the easy peasy button in the sidebar. Be inspired with some fresh ideas for this summer season by a group of talented professional designers! Enjoy!

Yesterday was the unofficial opening of our new Art & Craft Co-operative, Artful Persuasion in downtown Fredericton, 79 York Street. We have 26 local artists and craftsmen who have come together in a year round store front. You can find us on facebook and like us too! https://www.facebook.com/#!/artfulpersuasion Our Grand Opening is June 1st!!!

The benefits of such a co-operative are numerous beginning with it requiring only a day a month from each member to work in the store. Led by three experienced artisans who have organized large groups before we have everyone pooling strengths and resources. I am doing window display and will help out with the blog when we get it up and running.

I am enjoying working more locally, I love my city and connecting with the artistic community here. Our creative setting is filled with hand crafted items plus yummy chocolates and cupcakes.

It has a special energy one which draws you in to wander the displays and savor color, texture and craftsmanship. Inspired artistry beckons from the original art pieces on the walls, jewelry sparkles beneath the lights, natural is celebrated, soaps, candles drawn from nature's herbs and bees. Here is my display in the shop! If you are local please come by and enjoy!

A bonus this month with the Designer Crafts Connection hopping twice! Today's hop features the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner! I am fortunate to have had the company send one to me to use. Before it arrived I did some research and read reviews, all very positive. The website features great videos and instructions. As soon as I opened the box I knew this was going to become a necessity in my studio! Already loaded with a memory card and batteries, I simply flipped on the switch and was ready to scan immediately (within a few seconds to be totally accurate.)

Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner presents the "Scan & Share" Blog Hop Challenge

 Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner has partnered with the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop to offer the "Scan & Share" Blog Hop Challenge!

This challenge is two fold?first for participating "Scan & Share" Blog Hop designers to create personalized gifts and projects in a wide array of different crafting categories while using the Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner and second, having blog hop followers join in and share their creative ideas.

 
To submit your "Scan & Share" ideas, click here. The blog hop follower and participating "Scan & Share" Blog Hop designer who creates the most creative and productive ideas using a Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner will each win a Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner.  (Please visit their facebook page and "like" them too!)

Now on to my project, since I am primarily a sewing designer and love to sew I wanted to use the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner in an apron for my daughter the pastry chef. I have a cookbook of my Mom's like a lot of us do, the one where she handwrote in recipes, pasted in ones from friends. The pages are worn, many covered with spots of dried batter and the book now has to be handled carefully. With the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner I could gently open the book and hold it over the page scanning in whatever recipes I wanted. The Friendship Muffin recipe is one I remember her having a container of this mysterious batter which was portioned off to friends and supplied us what seemed like forever with muffins! Here are some of the recipes included in this retro cute apron along with an image from the Vintage Workshop Kitchen 11 collection.

The details I added to this apron I made using the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner to personalize and make it special could be applied to a purchased apron. Printed out on Avery Printable Cotton it can simply be ironed on, no sewing required! Just think of all the special thoughtful gifts to be made! Hop along with the DCC button to the right to be inspired with more projects and ideas just in time for the holidays!

I also wanted to create a fun detail with adding wooden spoon appliques. I took out my favorite wooden spoon, picked up the Flip-Pal™ Mobile Scanner, took off the cover and placed it over the wooden spoon. It required two scans, it is a big spoon. :) The scanner has a Stitch feature which "stitches" scans together, just make sure to have adequate overlap. Below is my scanning of the spoon, "stitching" them together, sizing and printing out on Avery Printable Cotton. 

I printed out the recipes onto one piece of printable cotton after scanning them.

I cut them apart, ironed onto the fabric border and stitched in place and yes there is the Friendship Muffin recipe!

(When using the scanner please be aware of copyright issues, scanning for your personal use differs from scanning work that is not yours to be combined and sold in items.)
Here is to creating with inspiration, integrity & great products!
                                                                                          
Disclaimer
This website and blog belonging to Debra Quartermain Design are written and edited
by myself, Debra Quartermain. I give my honest personal opinion and review of all the
products that are submitted to me. I reserve the right not to review or use products
unless I feel I can give a fair assessment.

I am not paid to review products. However, I do receive products free of charge to
try out. I will and do accept and keep free products and other forms of compensation from companies.

Importantly this blog and website abides by word of mouth marketing standards. I
believe in honesty in both opinion and responsibility to my readers and the companies
 I deal with. I will only support and endorse products and services I believe in and based
 on my personal and professional experiences. I cannot verify anyone else's experience
with a product and any claims or further information should be obtained from the manufacturer.