I have had the pleasure of working with the Makeit: Fun STYROFOAM Brand Foam for several years now and the design possibilities are endless! For kids crafting with any kind of materials combined with the foam they can create magical creatures to fantastical structures to wild wall art! (and so can big kids too!)

For the Creative Living segments I taped in NM I showed how to make some funky birds from a foam ball shape and cube. A full video how to coming shortly!

By simply taking the shape and some fleece which has a bit of stretch and clings to the ball easily. You can create the cutest characters. Soooooo introducing Roberto Rooster and Daphne Duck! Creating the JOY! always!

At CHA twelve talented designers took part in Westcott Brand's Tshirt Remix challenge. Video is posted on my Home page. I created a dress from my Tshirt, we had twenty minutes! How did I do it with fingers mentally crossed and Westcott Brand's Extreme Edge Scissors! Add a fun lining or wear it as a beach coverup.

Here is the scoop and the Tut!

You will need:
1 XL Tshirt
Extreme Edge Westcott Brand® Titanium Steel Scissors
Embellishments 
Fabri-Tac Glue by Beacon
Ruler

1. Fold Tshirt in half lining up seams with sleeves flat. Fold in half three more times smoothing as you go.

2. Begin below sleeve. Cut from one folded edge through to ½" from opposite folded edge. 
   
           
   
         
   
3. Turn Tshirt and cut from opposite fold. Repeat. Cut evenly spaced slits. The narrower the slits the longer the dress will be. I suggest about 2" width. (This has to be cut carefully so as to not cut completely through either side. The Extreme Edge scissors will cut through several layers easily.)
   
          

4. Continue to the bottom of Tshirt. I left about a 3" wide border on the bottom. Carefully open up the Tshirt  and put it on. Gently stretch it out with your legs, the border at the bottom will create a wavy effect. (An added and unexpected surprise!)
   
               

5. For the dress top I cut off one sleeve, glued it to bottom of opposite sleeve. Fan folded sleeve and cut small slits through one side only. The neckline was cut off by 2" and scrap piece used to tie opposite shoulder tight. Embellish as desired. Enjoy!

The CHA (Craft & Hobby) show in Anaheim is filled with events from morning till night. Being an exhibitor in the License and Design section of the show meant I wasn't as free to walk the floor. I still took part in several events one being the very fun Westcott Brand Tshirt Remix Contest where twelve talented industry designers competed using the Westcott Brand Extreme Edge scissors, a Tshirt and twenty minutes to mix it up. What fun, from purses to a squid the scissors cut through layers of Tshirt to create twelve unique amazing pieces.

My idea was an evening gown, being a dress girl and with a lot of folding of layers which the Extreme Edge scissors cut through easily I ended up with a full length dress! The video is now released :) and you can see it all! Posted on my front page! What a fun challenge! Follow the JOY!

I filmed a segment with Sheryl Borden of Creative Living recently making fun Fringed Flowers ideal for a burst of colourful spring home accent.
The flowers are easy to make and a great way to use up fabric and felt scraps.

               
You will need:
9" x 12" pieces of  Fuchsia, Caribbean Surf ( teal), Grass Skirt (green) Xotic Felt by National Nonwovens
1/6 yard each of blue, pink gingham check fabric
6" x 24" fabric pieces
Fabric scraps
Aleene's Fabric Fusion™
Garden wire green coated
Assorted buttons (2 per flower)
5", 8", Extreme Edge Westcott Brand® Titanium Steel Scissors
(Invisible marker, sewing machine, black thread, ruler, cutting mat, measuring tape, pencil, circle templates 1", 2", 3", 4" 5", wire cutters )

Gerbera Daisy: For each flower cut a felt center 3" by 9". Cut two gingham fabric strips, one 2" by 44" and one 3" by 44". Cut a 12" piece of wire.

Fold the center felt strip in half lengthwise and then in half again the width wise. With 5" scissors cut carefully from fold through to ¼" from edge. (This has to be cut carefully so as to not cut completely through either side.)

The outside of the flower is created by fringing the flat strips of the two fabrics. Fold each fabric in half four times width wise. The Extreme Edge scissors will cut through several layers easily. Cut through strips leaving ½" uncut. Repeat entire length of strips. (The closer together the cuts the finer the fringe.)

Putting the flower together, the center is wrapped carefully gluing the roll at end around wire. The outside two fringed fabrics are rolled together around the outside of the center gluing as it is wrapped.

Making a Mum: The mum is the reverse of the Gerbera Daisy. Cut a felt strip 1-1/2" by 12". Cut a fabric strip 4" by 44".  Cut a 12" piece of wire.

Taping segments of Creative Living with Sheryl Borden in New Mexico was a great experience! I travelled to Portales NM with a good friend. She got to watch behind the scenes and from the control room. Everyone connected with the show was warm and welcoming. Sheryl is delightful to work with and made me feel at ease.

Besides the usual concerns, hair wouldn't co-operate in the morning, last minute change in wardrobe which was a good thing as wearing a blouse and skirt made it much easier to place my mike and attach box to back of my waistband!

I had prepared stepouts for each of my four segments. As we finished one segment all the pieces were whisked away and the next set arranged on the table. Count down would go to three and then Sheryl would be cued by signal to begin. That moment I would take a deep breath ready to start. My intent was to make the demo of the project as clear as possible.

I was fortunate to demo projects for three sponsoring companies whose products I work with constantly, Westcott Brand Titanium steel scissors, Make it: Fun Styrofoam Brand Foam and National Nonwovens wool felt and Wool Wisps.

The segments will air next fall on 118 PBS stations in four countries. I will have the segments on You-Tube in a couple weeks along with the instructions for the projects. Below are some photos that were taken before each segment began while we were setting up. I am very grateful for the experience, to Sheryl and the KEN-W crew for making it as easy and enjoyable as possible!

It is Fowl Friday with Fran & Freda! Unfortunately we are being preempted by Debra's big trip to tape segments with Sheryl Borden and Creative Living. She left us in Albuquerque while she travelled up to Portales to tape the show. While she was gone we were left hanging out with a feline! Although stuffed it still looked ready for a chicken dinner, just saying! Anyway that is it from us, Debra returns to tell all about her trip tomorrow!

Early this morning I am off to tape segments of Creative Living with Sheryl Borden in Portales, New Mexico. This has been a whirlwind trip from CHA in Anaheim to flying to Albuquerque to prepare for show. Stepouts and instructions are ready. Outfit planned, no black and white so I chose a colorful dress to wear!

I am a little nervous and very excited to be showing techniques and designs featuring my sponsors, Westcott Brand, Makeitfun Crafts and National Nonwovens. I appreciate their support very much to be able to offer crafty and sewing inspiration!  Projects and instructions coming soon!

Meanwhile here is a sneak peak behind my scenes, my exploding suitcase and my entourage and assistant Fox the cat, I couldn't have prepared without his invaluable assistance!

It is year since the Designer Crafts Blog Connection began. What a year! Each month a fresh challenge, great give aways and generous manufacturers who have supplied us with product to use and review. A sincere thank you to our sponsoring companies and to our creative leader Julie McGuffee! Julie has posted many pictures from the show which was wonderful as I was exhibiting in the L+D section of the show and didn't get many photos.

This month we have returned from CHA, the Craft & Hobby Association's Trade show. Each year attendees from all the world, editors, publishers, manufacturers, celebrities and retailers come together to present and shop the best and newest creative products and techniques.

The Innovation Showcase and Awards highlights the newest products in the industry. The winner was Shoe Attitude, tattoos for shoes. Runners up were Cool2Cast and the Knook the knitting needle crochet hook from Leisure Arts. I thought the kids LED light, sticker kits by Dazzu were very cool and Baby Boutique, diaper covers and accessories for the eco-conscious mom were cute and so smart!

photos courtesy of Julie McGuffee

The fashion finds at the show were very creative especially the Ilovetocreate booth where EcoHeidi took broken cups and saucers and fashioned a brilliant colorful skirt.

Because of my areas of interest especially in felt and needle felting I was so pleased to see several felt companies at the show. EKSuccess who now has the Dimensions Brand introduced a series of adorable animal kits which include a silicone mold in the larger kits.

photo courtesy of EKSuccess

A new Canadian company Pollika had a collection of 100 percent wools, rovings and Wope, a wool rope with the added strength of jute included. Kunin's ecofelt showed bright patterns and tapestry inspired designs, felt has come a long way! The New Image Group had a beautiful felt purse line with a collection of embellishments to personalize your bag your way.

Texture and iconic elements were very evident at the show, birds, wings, dress forms, travel, body, shoe, clothing tattoo art. Fabric and felt elements were found incorporated into paper, mixed media designs.

Please hop around to discover more about the show, every designer brings a fresh and unique perspective. Happy hopping! Debra

Finally it is Fowl Friday with Fran & Freda! We are now in NM, thank goodness! These past few days while Debra has been at the CHA, Craft and Hobby Show we suffered serious indignity! Her booth display was diner themed.

While she was decked out in pinky ruffly apron fashion we were stuck in a takeout box labelled chicken wings! At least we talked her out of tacking on bandaids across our wings!

Freda will never be the same, she now is sleeping with her wings wrapped under her feet, not easy to do and her blanket over her head! When Debra said we were going on this road trip we were excited, so far not so much! No room service or perks as of yet! Sigh. Follow the Fowl Fran & Freda!

The CHA, Craft and Hobby Association show is a creative buzz, color, texture, personalities, everywhere attendees are seeing the newest releases of products and techniques. I am exhibiting in a location which is one of the main aisles so the traffic is steady and I am meeting many interesting people from all over the world, Greece, Brazil, Japan and right next door, Quebec and other Canadians.

Yesterday I saw a striking woman coming towards my booth, she stoppec and said how adorable everything was, wanted to take some pictures and we had a lovely chat. I recognized her right away, Deborah Norville. She is an avid knitter and has a beautiful new yarn line.

The days are full with creative events and activity, today is the T-shirt Remix Challenge with Westcott so my scissors are ready to cut up and create something hopefully amazing or at the very least does not end up in a pile of scraps! Have a wonderful creative day!!!