Hang Up Your Stocking!!!

They're done!!!  I can officially add Costume Designer to my list of things I can call myself.  Holy Cow this was a big undertaking...now lets hope the darn things fit!!!  The whole time I was making these I kept imagining my three year old wagging her finger at me singing "Hang Up Your Stocking"!!!  It's enough to keep going:)  

Here she is... have you ever watched a three year old try to tap?  Pretty funny...she's the one with the bobbed hair.  

Here are the costumes...

 and the close up's...

Holiday Giveaway 2011

 Wrapped In Clover Giveaway, Holiday 2011!! 

This is my first official giveaway, so I hope you will all enter and pass along to others!!!!

*How to enter:

1. Comment on my facebook posting about this giveaway (that way I have your name)

2. Recommend my facebook page or my shop on your wall

Winner will be drawn and announced on November 30th

"Raven Flora" - necklace and earring set

Inspirational Quote...

This saying resonated with me...had to share.  

-E

Buried...

Sorry for my long absence here, but somehow...like always, I have gotten BURIED this time of year with projects.  I am always busy during the Holidays, filling custom orders and keeping up with my kids schedules...but this year takes the cake.  Somehow, I ended up taking on some BIG costume projects for my Daughters dance studio.  While usually I would love this project...this time of year has left me with no free time to myself...and creatively a little tapped out.  Combine this with custom Halloween costumes for my girls, multiple large Wrapped In Clover orders, a 90th Birthday party for my Grammy...and life with a 3 and 6 year old... cross your fingers for me that I'll emerge unscathed from this season.

For now, I'll be sewing.

Costumes in the works...I've exploded onto my dining room table.  

Another beautiful Wedding!

This picture just came to me compliments of Heather.  I was commissioned to make all matching necklaces for her bridesmaids in her recent wedding.  Heather is the GORGEOUS bride in the middle....of course:)  The trick was... they were to be made from Vintage pieces...which is usually a tough call to find multiples of matching vintage pieces, however I found a supplier of "new old stock" (old necklaces that never sold...truly vintage, in mass quantity) and bought them all!!!  So Heather was able to get a bunch of matching necklaces, with the vintage component...cool!  The colors were super cute too...Yellow, White, and black and white polka dots.  Thanks Heather...Enjoy the photo!

Beautiful Bride Brandi

About a year ago I was hit with multiple orders for one necklace bib that had been featured on etsy.  I normally don't make multiples of an item, but in this case, I was able to do so, while upholding my standard that each item is one of a kind.  Every item that went out was similar in look, but uniquely different in the Vintage items it featured and the color combinations that were used.

One particular order was from a "Bride-to-be" named Brandi, who requested a Spring Bouquet bib necklace in all "Greens".  It was my favorite one that I made.  Brandi recently shared a picture of herself in her wedding gown with the necklace on.  I am proud that she chose to wear a Wrapped In Clover piece on her special day.

Thanks Brandi!

Diamond Tufted headboard

This is a tutorial I read and altered a bit about how to make a diamond tufted headboard.  I highly recommend it!
Please read in conjunction with my suggestions.
http://blog.addicted2decorating.com/2010/08/how-to-make-diamond-tufted-upholstered.html

My suggestions:
Step 1:  Decide on a shape/size for your wood cut out.  I drafted mine in cardboard so I could hold it up by the bed to assure size and scale.
Step 2:  Plywood...or any other straight wide wood works well.  Jigsaw out the shape.  Sand edges smooth.
Step 3: Spray the wood and foam with foam glue (make sure it wont eat the foam).
Step 4:  Cut the foam in the shape of the headboard.
Step 5: Mark the places for the buttons and drill right through the foam through the wood.  Or maybe from the back if it's thick foam.
Step 6:  Using pincher fingers or a door hole drill bit, enlarge each button hole tapering down to a point, and round the foam edges.
Step 7: Cover the foam with spray glue and batting, pressing down into each button hold divot and around edges.
Step 8:  The fabric laid out should allow for a lot of extra space on each side...three feet or more preferred.  Place the center of the fabric in the center of the headboard.  Begin tufting...
(look at the guide I used to do the remainder of the tufting)

Make sure you don't pull the fabric too tight.  Pull each button (in the order suggested on the tutorial) on a large needle with waxed upholstery string through the fabric, tufting, foam and wood hole, and secure on the back of the wood with staples.   My one word of advice...follow the directions on the tutorial about how to tuft EXACTLY.  Button tuft the headboard before you finish off the edges.  Make sure you place the fabric with TONZ of room all the way around, the tufting eats up excess fabric, and you may find yourself with not enough to finish it off with.

The set up is the most important part...that's why I spelled it out here...but the guide I used works great!
Finishing it off can be done with store bought or handmade piping, nail heads, or left just plain...

Here is the one I made for my daughter Maggie!
Happy Tufting!