How to turn ordinary into extraordinary

This is the piece of embroidered and textured lutradur that I made last week.

Lutradur Bag

It turned out kind of ordinary and I wasn’t totally loving it. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with it so I threw it on a pile of fabric pieces that were stacked on the corner of my cutting table and it landed on a piece of stabilizer that I had cut and was preparing to use for an art bag. It was just the right size, so …

Lutradur Bag

now I’m really loving it!

Lutradur Bag

So how do you turn ordinary into extraordinary?

It’s all about changing the way you look at things – changing your perception of how you believe things should be and opening yourself to the possibilities of how things could be.

Lutradur Bag

When I made it, the textured lutradur was kind of interesting but it wasn’t really an outstanding piece and although I thought only briefly about it, I wasn’t sure how I could use it.

Although I make a lot of bags and purses, using lutradur as a fabric isn’t something I would normally consider. But when I tossed the lutradur onto the pile of fabric and it synchronistically landed on a piece of cut stabilizer, it gave me the opportunity to think about using it in an unusual way. Which I think worked very well!

When you’re open to new ways of doing things, expect wonderful results!

PS I’ll be adding this clutch in the Art Bag Section here in my design store later on today.

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Some free weekend reading

50 Ways to Leave Your KarmaIt’s easy to find ourselves stuck in life; it seems like there are obstacles at every turn. Usually these obstacles of our own making but it doesn’t make it any easier to find our way out.

I began reading this ebook during the week and I found it to be a beautifully written ebook with practical advice and information written in a way that can really help you get unstuck. Plus, the hand drawings are priceless.

All too often we look for an easy fix to our perceived problems. We become students of life constantly reading and looking for a way to fix things without being aware that all the reading and all the information in the world won’t do a darn thing unless you follow the instructions, take action, and actually *do* something to help yourself. It’s not always easy to make the changes in our lives that we know are best for us, but the alternative is to do nothing and stay exactly where you are.

You can download your copy here although you do have to sign up for their newsletter first. If you enjoy the book then you’ll probably enjoy the newsletter so it’s a win-win situation.

Art Trader MagazineArt Trader Magazine is a free publication for those interested in trading art. But even if you aren’t into trading art or cards, you’re sure to find the articles informative and entertaining – I always do!

It’s always a nice surprise when the latest issue is published – you never know what you’ll find in there, so run right over and grab a copy – it’s totally free!

I hope you take a little “me” time to enjoy your reading this weekend. Very often we undervalue the price of “free”, but sometimes it actually is priceless. Have a great weekend!

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Beyond the comfort zone

Playing around with lutradur last week was kind of fun.

Apart from burning holes in fabric (which I enjoyed just a little too much), deconstructing, distressing, and generally playing around with unusual products is something I do from time to time. I find that experimenting with new products and techniques, working a little differently to the way that I normally work, and stepping just far enough beyond my comfort zone to feel a little uncomfortable, is the perfect way to stretch myself in new directions and make new and sometimes wonderful discoveries.

It takes a little effort to move out of your comfort zone because no-one actually ever wants to feel uncomfortable, but I find it easier to think of it as “playtime” where there is no defined outcome and where rules are made to be broken.

This week I still feel like I need a little extra playtime (a side effect of stepping outside your comfort zone is that sometimes you don’t want to go back), so I thought I’d continue working with lutradur but in a slightly different way.

Instead of using a free motion design to act as a resist for the holes like I did on the last piece, this time I backed the lutradur with a piece of fabric and added some bobbin work similar to the technique I used on my last art bag. I left plenty of space between the lines of stitching to allow for the holes and then I painted it various shades of brown which are not my usual colors, but I’m working out of my comfort zone, right? So let’s do it differently.

Lutradur Bag

Like the previous piece of lutradur, it looks drastically different once I’ve heated a few holes and allowed the fabric underneath to show through.

Lutradur Bag

And highlighting the texture really makes it stand out.

Lutradur Bag

I kind of like the results so far, although I’m not all that in love with the color. I guess some things won’t change.

I challenge you this week to take some time to step out of your own comfort zone and try something new. If you’re not sure where to begin, start with one of my free tutorials which you can find here, and see where it leads. You never know. And you just might like it.

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Lutradur – all dressed up and nowhere to go

It’s always a good weekend when I get some playtime (as opposed to worktime) in my sewing room! And this weekend I finally managed to finish off the lutradur purse that I began working on last week.

I pondered for a couple of days about how to finish it off because the fabric definitely looks rather grungy and worn, particularly after I heated it to make the holes and the paint turned metallic looking.

I could have added some machine lace to soften the edges and make it a little more feminine looking, but instead I embraced the whole grunge theme and added metal instead.

Lutradur Bag

I used bronze colored eyelets and attached a fringe using some small decorative metal discs. I also used eyelets to secure the shoulder chain strap down each side of the purse.

Lutradur Bag

Lutradur Bag

And a silk lining.

Lutradur Bag

This purse definitely makes an eye catching statement don’t you thing?

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This morning I bought a sheep

Those are words I never thought I’d ever hear myself say. But I didn’t buy the sheep for me; I bought it for someone I don’t know and am never likely to meet. I bought it knowing that what was only a small effort on my part, will make a huge difference in some girl’s life by providing her with the opportunity for an education.

Sometimes as individuals we feel like we can’t make a big difference. But sometimes making a small difference is all that it takes.

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