Free Projects & Tutorials

How to Make a “Creative Ideas” Journal

Over the years one of the things that I've learned about being a creative business owner is that if you don't write things down, they are soon forgotten. This is particularly true when creative ideas arrive in a flash of inspiration because they often arrive at the...

Scrappy Garden Fabric Journal Cover

This week I'm sharing a quick and easy fabric journal cover project. I was inspired to print one of the pages from the Scrappy Garden Printable Journal Kit onto fabric, to make a journal cover for a new journal that I'm making. I love the fun floral designs on the...

DIY Tutorial: PhotoArt Zipper Pouch

I just love zippered pouches for so many reasons. They're quick and easy to make and can be made in any size and used for storing and organizing things large and small. Because they're so versatile and useful, zipper pouches are the perfect sewing project to make for...

Hand embroidery thread – how to blend custom thread colors

If you do a lot (or even a little) hand embroidery, over time you can accumulate quite a collection of embroidery floss and yarn. But doesn't it always seem that you simply never have the right color hand embroidery thread to finish off a sewing project? The color...

DIY Alcohol Inks

If you work with mixed media, then you'll know that alcohol inks are perfect for staining and adding transparent color. I generally use them with stencils and also for adding aged effects and subtle shading effects to both paper and fabric. Alcohol inks can get quite...

Fabric dyeing using Jacquard Color Magnet

I currently teach several hand-dyeing workshops using techniques that I've developed over many years, but I'm always looking for new and fun ways to work with fabric and dyes. Jacquard's Color Magnet is definitely one of those fun products. Color Magnet is a paste...

How to Make a Quick and Easy Traveler’s Notebook Cover

Several years ago I began using a traveler's notebook. When I first bought it, I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not, but over time I've grown to love it! I particularly love the idea of being able to use several different styles of notebooks such as a writing notebook,...

Stick Totem: A Stitched Mixed Media Collage Tutorial + Free Printable

This year my goal is to make a small stitched mixed media collage each day with the intention of making monthly mixed media journals. To make these page quick and easy to create, I'm using pages from my new series of printable journals as backing pages. These pages...

How to make a Handmade Journal with the Stitches Hidden in the Spine

It took a little trial and error to figure out how to make a cover and assemble last month's journal which was themed Taking Flight. I wanted a cover that looked like a book cover with no stitches showing on the outside, and pages that weren't all squashed together....

How to Make Mini-Tassels using Silk Cocoons

One of the best things about being a textile artist is discovering unusual things that can be stitched and sewn, and incorporated into mixed media art in creative ways. Silk cocoons and silk carrier rods are definitely some of those unusual things. The cocoon is the...

The 3-2-1 Creativity Tracking Journal

Do you ever find yourself wishing you were more creative? I do my best to make at least 15 minutes of creative space in my life every day, if not more. I find that having a regular creative practice not only helps me to be more creative, but it's also where I find a...

A Quick Start Guide to Printing Photos and Images onto Fabric using an Inkjet Printer

Thanks to today's technology, printing your images and photos directly onto fabric using an inkjet printer has never been easier. The creative opportunities for using your own personal photos or your own custom designed fabric are limited only by your imagination....