Sock it to em

I cannot tell you how many socks the under the bed monster and the drier devour over the course of a year at our house....

I find that socks are the best food around here for the forces of the universe to feed on so I began looking for ideas to do with these sad mateless perfectly good socks.  Other than sending my kiddos out in unmatching socks 365 days a year, I thought about upcycling them in to craft projects.  Although, my teen thinks that wearing unpaired socks is kinda cool and does it on purpose.........phew

Well, here are some really great sock projects I found.......other than the sock monkey of course

Snoman Ornaments

Blue Cricket Designs Sock Wreath

Socks Appeal Little Piggie

WHOOT WHOOT owl friends

Cute Sock Jar Cozie ~ Teacher gifts???

Cute little Critters

Manic Monday Freebies

Ok I have decided that every Monday I will post free tutorials or other great freebies I find to share.  It might be a coupon, a pattern or something to do with life as I know it....

Today's is this great crochet pattern.  I have been wanting a shawl to take with me on the plane to my missions trip to China.  I figure it would be a good thing to have on the 18 hour run from California to Asia!!  It can cover my shoulders or my legs EASILY as I TRY to sleep (insert crazy laugh here!!!!)

So, I searched and here are a few of my faves

A Pretty Pink Ditty

A Woozer Round Shawl

Fast & Easy

Fun Capelet!!!

This one is nice

Centering images on cover buttons New Tutorials and Badge Reels

Well, I have been writing some new tutorials and wanted to share one with everyone, it is such a simple dumb thing I cannot believe I didnt think of it before.  I love this as I can make my badge reels with anything I want on them, even a picture of a loved one or whatever someone might want.....

Anyway, here is the tutorial, I have the white badge reels for sale on my etsy

What you need:

* The cover button and kit to snap it together

* The image you are wanting to place on the button

* A piece of sheer interfacing (if desired)

* Double sided tape of your choice (any kind will work)

Cut the fabric around your image to the size needed for the size button you are wanting. General rule is about 2-2.5 inches LARGER than the image you are wanting in the center. In the materials and ideas section you will see some ideas about how to do this easily. Also make sure that you have a piece of light weight sew in interfacing that is just a bit larger than the button you want to cover. I use this so that the silver of the button does not show through the fabric. It is not completely necessary.

Take a piece of your double sided tape and stick it to the center of the button top as pictured. If your double sided take has a covering on the non-stickified side, remove it before the next step… I have checked with the FBI and there is not enough of my fingerprint there for you to steal my index finger technology on my computer…….I seriously washed my hands right before I started my pics and it is still there….sheesh

All Images & Instructions Property of Three Blessings Bowtique, Three Blessings Studios and Allison Foisset

Lay the piece of interfacing on top of the button and stick it to the double sided tape.

Trim the interfacing to be just a tiny bit larger if you wish. I do this so that there is less bulk to snap in to the button when I complete it as it is less likely to have wrinkles in the fabric on the finished button.

If you are NOT using interfacing as recommended, you will be sticking your image and centering it at this point as shown in the next few steps, just skip ahead if you wish. DO NOT TRIM THE FABRIC OF YOUR IMAGE IF YOU ARE NOT USING INTERFACING!!!

All Images & Instructions Property of Three Blessings Bowtique, Three Blessings Studios and Allison Foisset

After you have trimmed the interfacing (if you chose not to use interfacing, pretend the interfacing is not there) I place another piece of double sided tape so that it makes an X shape with the other piece of double sided tape.

SO HERE IS THE TAPE ON TOP OF THE INTERFACING (note, if you are not using the interfacing, you would have an X on top of the silver button top)

All Images & Instructions Property of Three Blessings Bowtique, Three Blessings Studios and Allison Foisset

Ok so now you are taking the picture you want in the center of the finished button and sticking the back side of the fabric on top of the double sided tape. So it looks like above. STICK IT DOWN HARD……..otherwise this whole tutorial is in vain as it will slip just like it did before. Make sure as you stick it that it is in the middle where you want it, you may have to gently life and restick it to get it centered but you will soon become an expert and get it stuck right the first time.

All Images & Instructions Property of Three Blessings Bowtique, Three Blessings Studios and Allison Foisset

Gently smoosh the face of the button in to the button kit as per the directions on the package and notice this is explained further in the appendix. Emphasis here on the gently as it is prone to slipping if you do this too fast and this is one place where slippage isn’t good.

Again, being gentle with the button, evenly fold over the extra fabric in to the center of button top, this is the part that will be hidden by the button back but still needs to be smooth. After I do this, I gently tug at the fabric to try to assure as many wrinkles are out as is possible.

All Images & Instructions Property of Three Blessings Bowtique, Three Blessings Studios and Allison Foisset

Again, following the directions on the package of the button kit, gently and slowly insert the button back in to the plastic kit. Try to make sure there is nothing slipping and sliding or wrinkling……sounds like a bad 50s song eh and I personally have plenty of wrinkles without adding more to my finished buttons?

I snap it down with my thumb, or sometimes a soft end of a pliers etc but most NORMAL folks use the pusher that comes with the kit. As per the instructions on the kit, you are snapping the back of the button to the front of the button to complete the covered button.

All Images & Instructions Property of Three Blessings Bowtique, Three Blessings Studios and Allison Foisset

Below is the order of your fabric and button kit order, remember, I am placing the interfacing and then the fabric on top of the shell then turning it all over into the holder. I also do not show using the pusher as I do it with my thumb.

Remove the button from the plastic pushing kit holder and voila, you have a perfectly centered covered button.

All Images & Instructions Property of Three Blessings Bowtique, Three Blessings Studios and Allison Foisset

I have removed the button eye on the back and glued mine to a badge reel and they sell very well for me. I remove the button eye from the back of the button back prior to putting the button together but lately have been buying many of my buttons flat backed because I am lazy. But you can do whatever you please with yours, when I first figured out how to get them in the center, I made a bunch and lined them up and admired them……..they look so purty!!!! The possibilities are endless with buttons that match whatever you want to do. This tutorial was made with an ironed on image and I will list materials so you can try that too. I do sell images and can make images for any sized button you are wanting, including images backward so you are able to have printed words or initials on them.

I use the flat backs for this and any other items I will glue them to, I use the eye (wire) backs if I am making pony-os or actually using the buttons as buttons. I have a tutorial on putting the buttons on the pony-os for sale if you need it.

Can I finally get my site going?

Ok, so I have been paying for my site and decided to finally update it. Still figuring out how to get it to be ecommerce but it is up and going and I like it......I like it a lot!!

come see me threeblessingsbowtique.com

What in the world am I doing today??

I know you are all wondering what I am doing. Well, I am sitting here staring at my wonderfully organized room......

Ok so NOT. I am trying to get the monkeys off the ceiling to do some school (with a bit of success from time to time). I have dinner in the crock pot as hubby and I have to run out right after dinner to replace my almost 9 yr old printer. I am thrilled it lasted that long. So we will head out and look for a flat bed copier, printer scanner. It is amazing how much of my business relies on my printer, I have so many things to ship out that are just sitting here, staring at me with tears in their eyes thinking I have forgotten them. Not to worry my dear packages (and customers) we will be up and shipping in no time and momma gets a new printer!!! WOO HOO.......

I am also working on my huge orders of singed flowers, I love doing them and they are so pretty. If you haven't done so already you should really try. I have a tutorial that I will add on here in a few minutes, but for the time being, just look at all my beautiful flowers. These are a few of the almost 500 flowers I have made in March and April!!!

The process is so fun now that I have a place to put everything and it is not falling all over the floor and I dont have to search for my centers.....ahhh, who knew I would love being organized so much!!!


These flowers are just so gorgeous and my clients tell me they sell like hotcakes. If you are interested in buying some from me for your self or your shows, please contact me, I would love to help you out. My pricing is very affordable and I can accommodate most color requests. Here is the one I did for my daughter for her formal last weekend. I know, her hair is to die for, I had it all nice and curly and it looked like this and then she went and got ready at her friend's house and the curl got lessened!! Man, I would kill for my hair to ever hold that much curl.....oh well, what does a mom know when you are 16?

Here are some more of my flowers, I will post a tutorial later this week so be on the look out!!!

Thanks again for stopping by to see what is going on at Three Blessings Bowtique

Check out my website at threeblessingsbowtique.com
My new forum where we will be talking all things crafts (especially hair stuff) and there will be great wholesale buys and free tutorials for all the members, Join now!!!
http://threeblessingsbowtique.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=10







Dear Father, thank you so much for the beauty of this day and the creativity you blessed me with. I pray that I use my gifts for your glory and everyone can see the light and love of Your Son Jesus Christ shine through me and my creations. In Jesus name, Amen

Organized at last

We worked really hard this weekend to get these shelves up and my studio and the kids school room organized!!! I designed the shelves the way I wanted so my ribbon spools sit on them just perfect. I still have more ribbon but that was already organized. Now when I need to make a big order, I can order what I need instead of guessing (usually wrong) on my actual needs. all the little items are labeled and in their neat and tidy place. I also purchased a large yarn rack from a broad goods store that was moving and selling fixtures. It is PERFECT for my stash and some other things that are hard to store. We also tackled the furnace room which has been one of the things on hubby's to do list for years. All of that is organized as well for all my back stock that I didn't want cluttering up my studio. My son came down and with sheer joy shrieked, IT IS SO CLEAN, I can run now!! He has been subjected to my craft room as he and his sister are schooled with me each day and is obviously THRILLED that I have cleaned it up. Now, to put everything in its place and know what I have will be so easy!! I am EXHAUSTED, my neck hurts, my hands ache but tomorrow morning when we come down for me to work and the kids to school, it will feel SO SO GOOD. I can get to the printer/copier, the telephone, all my stuff, the kids books.............ahhhhh, sweet dreams of ribbon, fabric and supplies will be dancing in my head. Or nightmares of lost ribbon hunting me down to claim their rightful place on the shelf.

You know, I almost wish I would have taken before pictures so you could have had a greater appreciation for this. From whence I came is not a pretty sight and one to which I hope I never return.



The best $50 I ever spent was for the rack from a big box store that held yarn. I brought it home and my oldest daughter and I worked to get all the stuff in it. It was a perfect solution to all those odd things that take up so much space when in boxes, it also made it easier for me to see what I have to work with. This is one that I could sit and look at for hours. Heck, the whole thing is that way, well, not so much the furnace room.






I love having all my favorite bible verses and the kids stuff mixed in, and the necklaces hanging makes it so much easier to see what I have. The wire shelf is one that I hung by myself years ago, needless to say, I was not worried about it being straight........drives hubby nuts. Then I used little s-hooks to hang all my necklaces up where I could see them.





Our kindergartner likes to change the pictures often so I get to look at something new every now and again. Also, I read the bible verses off the wall to them each day so they too can hide God's word in their hearts.






Everything labeled an in its place. Good night sweet supplies, sleep well. I cannot wait to work with you tomorrow.......



Now, if I migrate to the dark side again, please feel free to yank me back to reality and get things organized again





My dear sweet husband just came in and asked if I was able to get all my ribbon up on the shelves. I sighed and said, "Well...." he just laughed and gave me a kiss on the top of my head. Gotta love when they finally gain an understanding of your inner self.

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for blessing me with a man who is willing to grow in his understanding of me. I am blessed that his hard work is what affords me to shepherd our little one's hearts, minds and souls. Teach me to listen for your still small voice when I am working so to remember that all of the wonderful things I have are yours and would not be possible without you. I rejoice in your love and ask for strength to abide in it each and every moment that I am alive. Thank you so much for your precious son, Jesus, my savior, in whose name I pray, Amen