Lucky Bug by Annette

I love making cake pops and I get asked often to make them for birthdays and showers. I needed a post to show them off so here it is!

I make these pillows all the time and they are super easy to make! But some people hear the word zipper and don’t want to attempt it. This is a tutorial on how to make a simple pillow cover and how to easily sew in a zipper. (Hint…zipper first!)

Step one-Cut the fabric

This pillow is 16×16 so I cut the fabric slightly larger at 17×17. The zipper is 16 inches but you can use smaller or larger (and either cut the zipper or use a smaller one for a smaller opening. But if it’s the same size it’s easier to get the insert in.) zippers.

Step two-

Place the zipper face down on the front of the fabric so the upside of the fabric and the upside of the zipper are face to face. Pin in place.

Use a zipper foot on your sewing machine to stitch the zipper in place with a straight stitch. You don’t need a zipper foot but it gets the stitches closer to the zipper and it looks better. This is a zipper foot. You place it so the left side of the zipper is in the holder. (This is if your fabric is being sewn on the outside of the machine and not the inside)

Sew the zipper into place with a straight stitch

When you get to the end just get close to the zipper head or you can open it and move it out of the way

That side is finished and should look like this-

Step three-take the other piece of fabric and repeat. Put the zipper that is already attached to the front piece face down on the face side of the second piece of fabric.

So just like this but move it to the edge of the fabric before you pin.

Then pin the zipper to the fabric-

When you pin it and flip it over it should look like this (just in case you are confused)

The most important thing is to make sure the sides are lined up so you don’t get a crooked pillow.

Sew this piece on the zipper and when you are done it will look like this-

Step four- make sure the pillow is still inside out (front pieces of fabric touching each other) and pin the ends opposite of the zipper together. I start on this end to make sure the pillow lays flat.

Next you put on the regular sewing machine foot. This one-

Stitch the piece closed with a straight stitch. So now the pillow should look like this-

Step five- close the sides. I always do the side with the end of the zipper (the side opposite of the zipper pull) and close that first. Start from the non-zipper side and straight stitch til you get to the zipper.

Make sure your needle doesn’t hit the metal on either side of the zipper but you CAN go over the zipper teeth. It won’t hurt the machine.

Next (and this is important!!) Open the zipper halfway. Trust me don’t skip this step. This is the last open side and you are inside out right now and need to flip in in the end.

Pin the edges together (I didn’t do it in the picture since I have experience and don’t always pin but you totally can if you aren’t comfortable) and start from the opposite of the zipper side and start sewing. When you get to the zipper just pinch it together and go right over the zipper teeth. It will look fine no matter what way you do it!

When you get to the end use a few reverse stitches to lock the thread in place. My reverse looks like this-

You are done!! Flip the pillowcase right side out and push the corners out and you have a pillowcase! If you have questions you can post them below. I’ve never done a tutorial so I want to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Happy sewing!❤️❤️❤️

Annette

Ok this stamp set was just too amazing. Sometimes I have trouble figuring out how to use all the images in the set but Born to Be Brave was just so darn cute that I was turning out the cards left and right. This was the first one I made. I printed out the American flag and then used Altenew letter dies to cut out the BRAVE. The stars are brads from Recollections.

This was the second card in the collection. I was going to look for a image for the dog tags but I realized I was overthinking it and I just stamped the Sentiments, cut a rectangle around it, and used the corner chomper to round the edges. Voila! Dog tags. I used a real beaded necklace for the chain. The background was made just by printing out the words over and over again on Silhouette Studio.

Here is card number 3. Printed the flag, die cut the letters, super simple. (Btw…the banner die from Lawn Fawn is one I use a LOT. That die gets pulled constantly and it’s an old set that comes with 3 banner dies. Simple way to add a sentiment.

My little riveter was my fourth card and she’s just the cutest! The background was actually a flag and I made it so big that I just used the stripes! I found this really cool Tim Holtz embossing folder that I used on the background.

This was the last card and by far my favorite. I love the Kiss photo from WW2 and soon as I saw the sailor I knew he needed a nurse. I have a TON of Kindred stamp sets and looked through all of them but couldn’t find one that would work. Then I remembered a new set called NY Comedy that is also in this release and realized the woman in the set was perfect! I added a hat to her and turned her work suit into a nurses outfit (just left it white!) and there was my nurse. I found old papers online and made the background on my Silhouette. Printed it out and at the last minute added a couple more that pop out using foam tape. I love this card. It just makes me happy every time I look at it!!

Thanks for checking out my page! Leave a comment below for a chance to win a $10 Kindred Stamps gift certificate!! Make sure to leave you email.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

❤️ Annette

For my second design project for Kindred Stamps I was lucky enough to get this super fun set called Holiday Bandits. It has an adorable little boy who has to protect his home from two bad guys during the Christmas season while his family is away. I did three different cards using this 4×4 set. This one was actually pretty quick to make (after everyone is colored of course…I’m a bulk colorer! I like to stamp out tons of images and color them all once then set them aside for use later. I have a giant box of images ready to go!). I used a stitched circle die to cut out the center and just stamped all around it on Neenah 100lb paper. All the lights and ornaments were from several other sets (I have so many Christmas stamps). I used Copic markers to color in all the images and some foam tape to make it all pop out.

This one was so quick too! Just some layering of paper and a cute die cut window and wreath and I just pieced it all together.

This is a really fun card I made using a cool Die from Taylored Expressions. It’s a pop up die so when you pull the string the window pulls up. It’s a really good way to display your holiday cards!!

Thanks for coming to check out my blog! This set and the other new sets will be available October 25 on Kindred Stamps website. Make sure to sign up for the rewards program and start earning free stamps!! For those who are impatient and want a $10 credit now just leave a comment below and on Nov 1 I’ll choose one winner to receive a $10 gift card for Kindred Stamps store. Thanks again!!

Annette ❤️

A couple more cards I made for Kindred Stamps. I combined the set Golden Years and Travel to Cuba (it makes sense right??) to make a darling redhead and her love. ❤️❤️❤️

Family is Forever is another adorable set and I put the little girl on the beach with her best friend.💙💙💙

Martha Miller you won the $10 Kindred Stamps store credit! I’ll be emailing you the credit. Congrats!!😊

I recently joined the design team for Kindred Stamps which is an amazing company that specializes in pop culture stamps. I was so excited that the first month I’m on the team they decided to make an expansion set for Strange Friends!! Here are a few of the cards I made and some ornaments.

This is part of the digital set. Was so excited to see my two favorite ice cream scoopers!!

Here is another image in the digital set. She’s about to crawl through a dark vent so of course she needs some lights to help her see! I used Chibitronics to make her flashlights light up.

Some fun little wooden ornaments. I stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored them with Copics. Use a very light touch so you don’t ruin your nibs.

Here are the last two I made for now. I just love this set so much!!!

Here is the link to buy Strange Friends and be sure to check out the other amazing sets in this release. https://www.kindredstamps.com/products/stranger-friends

Thanks for checking out my blog!

Leave a comment below and on October 1 I will do a drawing for a $10 Kindred Stamps store credit!!❤️❤️❤️

Best time of the year!! Here’s a few projects I’ve been working on for a friend. Made some pillowcases and a doormat for her house. Both were made with a sublimation printer and heat press.

I’m so excited to announce I was chosen to be part of the Kindred Stamps Design Tran for this fall. What that means is we are sent stamp sets and we makes cards and projects using them to be featured on the KS blog. What’s even more exciting was my set I received was one I was wishing for!! Here is the fabulous design team and there are so many amazing cards they have already made!!

I love fall!! I love everything about fall and most of all I love decorating. Here are some projects I made for my house. I made the pillow and the fabric pumpkins with some scrap fabrics I had laying around my craft room. I’m totally heading to Joann Fabrics tomorrow for the Labor Day sale and getting more colors and making them for every room!!