Winners: Fancy Feet Sewing Challenge

I almost forgot!  Everyone worked SO hard meeting the Fancy Feet Challenge, and I nearly forgot to post the winners of the poll.  Shame on me.  So here I am at work, hustling to post this before the kids show up....  sorry about the brevity, but I'd rather not let another minute pass before I announce the projects that received the most votes in our just-for-fun poll.

Congrats to Marisa who received the most votes:

Marisa used her pintucking foot to create this beautiful table runner.
She blogged about her project HERE.
Find more of her tutorials HERE.

<div align="center"> <a href="http://ricochetandaway.blogspot.com/2013/04/vote-fancy-feet-sewing-challenge.html" title="Congrats! Gold Award!"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoV4AsjJQ8ZrJTdvSqx4Fc1daCrSWOR07gaEszdXdCfxiAkVjcGCI-0qtEKo-w6469fvC4mROreKCSTQOMdZc6tPRVreWns2xv7jSeMkLoOb8hex_SYYVgR0sBG5JkUJYyfmgyfyNFTo/s1600/goldbutton.jpg" alt="Congrats! Gold Award!" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Congrats to Pam who received the second highest number of votes:

Pam used her roll and shell hemmer foot to hem the ruffles on this nappy cover.
She blogged about her project HERE.
Pam has lots of sewing tutorials to be found HERE.

<div align="center"> <a href="http://ricochetandaway.blogspot.com/2013/04/vote-fancy-feet-sewing-challenge.html" title="Congrats! Silver Award!"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0URKCybjyi-sDqK6FNO6V-2GryJ7r8yeEFmbzN40SgHOMQinl3cfS360K91y1K6wehK3Z8G51NxD_Vby1hediOZOf4O2uozLgzkTJR380FTuRwSy8-2XNcFkvSOpKsiF0_pYEzifS30/s1600/silverbbutton.jpg" alt="Congrats! Silver Award!" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Congrats to our 2 bronze award winners!

Here's Kirstin's entry:

Kristin used her free motion quilting foot to quilt this baby blanket.
Read about her experience HERE.
Here tutorial page can be found HERE.

Here's Diya's entry:

Diya used her gathering foot to add the ruffles to her pretty blouse.
She blogged about her challenge HERE.
Find Diya's tutorial page HERE.

<div align="center"> <a href="http://ricochetandaway.blogspot.com/2013/04/vote-fancy-feet-sewing-challenge.html" title="Congrats! Bronze Award!"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIsRQJkk-6bYq-z20s00Qaq3L9efcSP8dYLossZItvS1Gh3RjMFKu7JpmSBa_3DBBHemUC5xFeepButiK3yO0ZMTZX5bMyPBZxn-PhnmWJ0lxRzYhZ1kOPaIfxTh-kbHtguPNAgEy_OQ/s1600/bronzebbutton.jpg" alt="Congrats! Bronze Award!" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Everyone did a great job and should be very proud of their projects!!!!

Thanks so much for all your hard work and for joining in my challenge!!!

If you're new to my challenges, you can see all the homepages for my past challenges by using the button on my menu bar.  You can see all the finished projects for the Fancy Feet Challenge HERE.

Happy Crafting and BIG Hugs from Montana,

Sorry to cancel May's sewing challenge

I hate to do it, but I just can't see me finding the time to organize May's sewing challenge.  The morning's I used to spend blogging are now spent at my new job.  I work in the library of an alternative high school and LOVE it.  I have the summer off though, so expect the challenges to resume once school's out.

I'm trying to come up with something new to do over the summer break.  So stay tuned and take care!

The poll for the Fancy Feet Challenge is still open and the results will be posted in May.  Super-congrats to all the participants!

Best,

Vote: Fancy Feet Sewing Challenge

March's challenge asked the participants to learn how to use a new foot on their sewing machines.  I tried to master my rolled hem foot without very much success.  You can read about my own foot misadventures HERE.

A total of 10 participants were able to meet the challenge by creating finished projects using their new and/or fancy feet.  It's not always easy to meet a challenge and fulfill a commitment, but 10 of you did and I think that's just so incredibly awesome!!!  Thanks so much for all of your hard work and dedication.  All of the challenge entries are so creative and inspiring.  Please scroll down and follow the links to all the projects.

After the list of projects is a just-for-fun poll to vote for your top 3 entries.  Anyone can vote once per day throughout April.  The entries receiving the most votes are awarded with bragging rights and nifty badges for their blogs.

Linda used her bias binding foot when she turned this men's shirt into a cute apron.
Please visit her website and see all her beautiful smocking skills HERE.

Kristin used her free motion quilting foot to quilt this baby blanket.
Read about her experience HERE.
Here tutorial page can be found HERE.

Signe used a piping foot to install the zipper in this e-reader pouch.
Find out how she did it HERE.
Locate more of her sewing tutorials HERE.

Celtic Thistle made this oilcloth toiletry bag using a teflon foot, a piping foot, and her zipper foot.
She blogged about it HERE.
Find her sewing tutorials page HERE.

Pam used her roll and shell hemmer foot to hem the ruffles on this nappy cover.
She blogged about her project HERE.
Pam has lots of sewing tutorials to be found HERE.

Cindy used her ribbon/sequin foot to attach the lace to this zippered bag.
Read her blog post about this project HERE.Visit her etsy shop HERE.

Suzie used her buttonhole foot to sew a bunch of cute bunny pouches.
Read her post about them HERE.
Scroll through her blog archives, and you'll find she has sewn a wide variety of things.

Diya used her gathering foot to add the ruffles to her pretty blouse.
She blogged about her challenge HERE.
Find Diya's tutorial page HERE.

Marisa used her pintucking foot to create this beautiful table runner.
She blogged about her project HERE.
Find more of her tutorials HERE.

Line used her new teflon foot to sew this roomy oilcloth beach tote.
She blogged about it HERE.
Check out an online album of her work HERE.

Happy crafting and big hugs from Montana,

I Painted My Vinyl Floor

Can you  paint a vinyl kitchen floor?  Should you paint a kitchen floor?  How do you paint a kitchen floor?  Would painting the floor be worth the effort and time?

I struggled with answering those questions.  I came to 2 conclusions: 

1.  I really couldn't make it any uglier!

2.  Eventually we're going to install real tile anyway.

Just to give you an idea of my kitchen/dining-room  floor plan, I made this simple diagram.
The black represents floor covered in counter-tops, fridges, etc.
The yellow is my ugly vinyl flooring.
The grey is carpeting (yuck!).
Eventually, we're going to rip everything out and tile the whole thing,
but that project is possibly years away.

So you can see that I really didn't have a ton of vinyl flooring to paint.  Considering the back-breaking and mind-numbing work required in painting the small area of flooring I DID paint, I would never consider painting and stenciling a large area.  I have a new found respect for all you crafty people who painted and stenciled entire rooms.  Wow!  What a lot of work!

My inspiration!  Check out this fab post by Shabby Coast Cottage!
[Photo by Shabby Coast Cottage]

I got my stencil and learned the technique from this lovely post by JDC.  
[Photo by JDC]

TL: Primer | TR: Floor paint
BL: Tracing stencil | BR: Painting stencil

Here are the steps I followed to paint my floor:

1. Removed drawer under my stove. (mine's not a broiler)
2. Cleaned the floor with ammonia and rinsed it well.
3. Sanded the floor with 150 grit sandpaper.
4. Vacuumed and wiped up all sanding residue.
5. Taped off edges, trim, and bottom of fridge.
6. Painted on a layer of KLEAN-STRIP EASY LIQUID SANDER.
7. Painted on KILZ 2® Latex Primer.
8. Painted on BEHR PREMIUM® Porch & Floor Paint--2 coats.
9. Traced stencil guidelines with gel pen.
10. Stenciled in BEHR PREMIUM PLUS ULTRA® Semi-Gloss Enamel.--2 coats. 

I bought some clear varnish to use as a top-coat but have yet to apply it.  It's been several months since I've painted the floor and it's holding up so nicely, I doubt I'll ever paint on the vanish.  

Here's a couple more "afters": 

The texture of the floor is still evident, but I like it soooooo much better.  I mostly clean the floor with warm water.  When that isn't enough, I have a swiffer thingy that I use and it works great.  

How about you all?  Would you ever consider painting your kitchen floor?

Happy crafting and big hugs from Montana,

Before you click away, I'd like to invite you to join in my current sewing/craft challenge.  

Plaid Stencils and Folk Art Craft Paint Review

FolkArt stencils rock!

Besides connecting with amazingly creative people from all over the world, the second best thing about being a blogger is getting opportunities to review craft products.  This post is about my experience with FolkArt stencils.  I've been a big fan of Plaid brand products even before I began blogging.  You see, I'm a Mod-Podger from waaaaay back!

These are all my projects featuring Plaid products:

The Envelope Wristlet

Wallet Upcycle

Another Mod Podge Upcycle

Naughty Notions Clutch

Purse of Paper

Clutch Makeover

Painted Patches for Boys

Patches for Girls

Tag-making

No-Dye-Tie-Dye

Egg-Kabobs

UFO Ornaments

Most of those tutorials feature projects using either Mod Podge or various brands of acrylic craft paint.

Besides the Patches for Girls post, I haven't worked much with stencils...until NOW!

The folks at Plaid, being the generous folks that they are, sent me another bundle of crafty loot!  This time around I received some Folk Art craft paint, a foam paint roller, a tub of chalkboard paint, a durable plastic FolkArt stencil, and a couple types of stencil brushes.  I decided to give the plain white step in my daughter's room a make-over.

1. After cleaning the surface of the step and taping off the area that I wanted to paint, I rolled on a layer of pale pink paint.  
2. I used one of the foam stencil brushes and stippled along the taped edges in a darker teal.
3. I taped the stencil down to keep it from wiggling and used a foam stencil brush to stamp on more teal paint.
4. I learned the hard way that if you don't clean the stencil every time you move it, you'll have some messy areas.  

I sealed the paint with glitter Mod Podge.  The grains of glitter are very fine and the resulting "glitz" is like a pretty iridescent shimmer.  It is very hard to photograph, so you'll just have to take my word for it that the finished step is totally glam!   

The step was once used in our bathroom to aid little kids in reaching the sink.  After we started using a collapsible stool in the bathroom, the step found a home in my 6 y.o. daughter's room.  She thought it looked like a "baby step" before, but is pleased with it's big-girl transformation.  The chevrons are fun and decidedly "not baby-ish" design element.  What do you think?

Check out this dresser transformation done with the same chevron stencil:

I just got some more stencils in the mail.  I'm hoping to use them in a new project soon, along with the chalkboard paint.  What about you all?  Any luck with stencils lately?

Happy crafting and big hugs from Montana,

Connect with Plaid via these social media links:
Plaid on Facebook
Plaid on Twitter
Follow Plaid on Pinterest

I wrote this post as part of a sponsored campaign with Plaid and The Blueprint Social. 

All opinions in this post are my own.

Before you click away, I'd like to invite you to join in my current sewing/craft challenge.

I wasn't the only one who got cool stencils in the mail.  Check out what my bloggy friends made as well: