DIY Mother’s Day Personalized Embroidered Gifts Tutorial

Posted on May 1, 2013 | Leave a comment

Two of my favorite things in the world are my Mom + handmade, personalized gifts.  So what better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than with a handmade gift for the woman who deserves it the most!

My good friend KC at MakeShopLive had this beautiful vintage fabric that also happened to have a large tear in the middle of it. The fabric was too beautiful to keep in storage any longer yet there wasn’t enough to make anything of substance like a pillow. So instead of tossing it aside I decided to break down the fabric into small yet stunning pieces to serve as backdrops for my DIY Mother’s Day Personalized Embroidered Gifts!  Below I will take you through the steps so you make your very own!

Here are the materials you will need:

Fabric
Ball Jar
Embroidery Stabilizer
Embroidery Floss
Embroidery Tracing Paper (or any transfer method you prefer!)
Regular Paper (use scrap if you can!)
Ball point pen
Hoop
Needle
Scissors
Glue (Hot glue or a Quick Drying Glue)

Gather your materials.
Cut fabric, embroidery stabilizer + embroidery transfer sheets to size. For the Ball Jar top simply trace the lid for accurate size. Otherwise size to your hoop leaving about an inch seam allowance.
Write or draw your personalized design using the lid or hoop to draw for accurate sizing. Once you have picked your design tape it onto the wrong side of the transfer paper.
Place the colored side of your transfer paper to the right side of your fabric.
Then simply trace over your design with a ballpoint pen. Note: The vintage fabric was silky so the transfer didn’t work as well as it would have on cotton fabric. If this happens you can carefully trace over your design with a regular or chalk pencil.
Place fabric + embroidery stabilizer in hoop, gently pulling until taught. Time to stitch! I chose a simple backhand stitch for this project. 1: Insert needle from the bottom at any starting point of your design + pull thread through.
2: Moving forward on the design insert a stitch on top + pull thread through.
3: Now insert your needle from underneath leaving a small gap between your last stich + pull thread through.
4: Moving backwards insert the needle at the end of your original stitch + pull thread through.
5: Repeat backhand stich until completed.
Embroidery complete! You can add any flourishes you like such as a french knot.
Now it’s time to adhere the fabric to the Ball Jar cap.
Simply add glue to the outer edges of the top. With the design centered put fabric over the top gently pulling the sides to make it taught. Allow to dry.
Add glue to the inner edges of the twist top. Use glue sparingly! Once done pop the finished lid into place and allow to dry. Trim excess fabric.
Voila! A personalized embroidered cap for any variety of gifts!

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Co-LAB Gallery Launch Party

Posted on January 13, 2013 | Leave a comment

This is a first for us guys.  We cannot begin to explain how excited we are that we were picked to be a part of Co-LAB Gallery’s opening.   Not only for the sake of it being our first gallery + retail store combined but also due to the amazing talent that shared the space with us.

Be sure to go check out the gallery + retail store for yourself at 3952 Wilshire Blvd, L.A.!  A block from the Wiltern in lovely Koreatown you’ll find the Co-LAB gallery in an old fish tank store.  The owners even decided to reuse many pieces for display, we love savvy repurposing like-minded artists!

Photo Credits: Alex van Haaff

http://www.co-labgallery.com/

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Thankful hearts + homes

Posted on November 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

The month of November has been full of thanks + gratitude. Aside from being thankful for family, friends, home + happiness we are thankful for nature + all she provides to us.  Not only does nature provide our environment + our daily necessities, she also provides us with bountiful, inspiring beauty.  Today we’re featuring a few of natures special autumn pieces that are dispersed within our own home to remind us of how intertwined we are with everyone + everything in life.  It reminds us not only of the beauty of that sentiment but also how important it is to always be thoughtful + thankful as we make our way through the world.

Here are some photos of our little collection! It doesn’t take a lot of money when nature is your decorator.  Take a walk in the woods or nearby park or take a trip to your nearest farmer’s market to collect all of your natural Thanksgiving decorations!

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Wishing you all a truly wonderful, happy + grateful Thanksgiving!

Cheers!

Merrily Jenn

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Make It Better! Sandy Relief Craftalong

Posted on November 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

We here at Merrily Yours are fortunate to say that all of our loved ones on the East Coast were spared by Superstorm Sandy + we are so very thankful for that but we know that there are many people who weren’t so lucky.  With an impending Nor’easter on Sandy’s heals the stakes are even higher for those who still do not have power, shelter or food.  We are asking all of our crafty friends to do their part to make it better by using their hearts + talents to crochet, knit + felt some wonderfully warm + needed gifts of hope through mittens, hats, scarves + blankets.  We will be donating our wares to the Sandy Relief Craftalong + YOU should too! Please SEND PROJECTS TO: Natalie Soud, Soho Grand Hotel, 310 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10013.

We also ask our friends who are able to please donate what they can afford to the American Red Cross at redcross.org as the relief efforts will continue to need our support.

We thank you all for your efforts!

xo Jenn

 

 

 

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Make Do + Mend – DIY Sweater Makeover!

Posted on October 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

With October in full swing + the air finally cooling down we are keen to put on our favorite sweaters!  Unfortunately over the years many good sweaters lose their luster when the dreaded pull, hole or stain takes hold.  Instead of accepting defeat we here at Merrily Yours have embraced our ancestors motto “Make Do + Mend” with a functional + beautiful sweater makeover featuring our Felt Flowers!  Have a look at our slideshow as Jenn breathes new life into her traditional cardigan.

Interested in purchasing our flowers or having us makeover one of your favorite sweaters?  Email us at merrilyyours@gmail.com for a consultation + quote!

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Happy October Merrily Yours Friends!

Posted on October 1, 2012 | Leave a comment

Happy October Merrily Yours Friends!

It just so happens October is our favorite month of the year!  We love when the leaves change, the air cools + the yummy baked dishes start making their way into our bellies + we absolutely love that we get to top it all off with a creative Halloween costume!  It’s also Jenn’s birthday month + as a special present to YOU we’re offering 10% off EVERYTHING in the shop + at events for the entire month of October!

To get your October discount go to etsy.com/shop/merrilyyours, add your favorite items to the cart, at checkout go to Apply Coupon Code then use Birthday10 to receive 10% off your entire order (shipping cost not included).  All items at the events in the month of October will be automatically discounted.

Visit us THIS Wednesday at Community’s Fall Bazaar! In addition to craft vendors there will be food trucks, live music + a PUMPKIN PATCH!!!  Best of all it’s FREE so bring the whole family!

 

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Sew L.A.

Posted on September 12, 2012 | Leave a comment

Sew L.A. is Los Angeles’s local sewing supply + teaching center.   They’ve recently moved from a cozy little spot on Silverlake Blvd to a beautiful new open air storefront in Atwater Village + as a frequent visitor I am thrilled with their new digs!  Sew L.A. hand picks gorgeous fabrics that you would never find at your average chain store, they have an incredibly helpful + fun staff along with inspiring modern sewing classes.  It’s crafting heaven!  I took the Square Knot Clutch Class taught by the designer herself, Devon of Miss Make.  The class was a blast!  I decided to make two clutches at once to get more practice + because I plan on making more as gifts.  I’m so glad I decided to go for the second clutch right away because I wasn’t thrilled with the placement of the cats in my first clutch but after making it once I was able to figure out how to properly place the clutch pattern to the fabric pattern without any issues.  Huzzah! Practice pays off!  I can’t wait for a good excuse to go out on the town to use my new adorable handmade clutches!! I imagine there will be a lot more to see from Sew L.A. in coming months, it will be hard to stay away from this local treasure for long.  Check out some of my pics from class!

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For the Love of Toys

Posted on August 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I adore toys!  I’m hard pressed not to pick up a soft, cuddly plush in the middle of the store to hug it or give it a silly voice.  I’ve just always been that way but when I was recently asked why toys are so important to me I realized I never really thought about it in depth.  At the time I said I wasn’t exactly sure.  I’ve just always loved toys, dolls + plush in particular.  I told them my favorite toy from my childhood was a look-a-like doll called “My Child”…

Image from: ASUWISHSHOP

but in truth I could never pick an absolute favorite because I loved every one of those dolls + plush equally.  I basically lived in a Toy Story reality as a kid, toys were my friends + I never wanted to neglect any of them because to me they were alive with feelings just like me.  Through the years I’ve had to learn to let go of some toys for the sake of room + adulthood but I’ve only let go of the non-sentimental toys, all the others are currently keeping board + room in my mothers basement if they aren’t already at my apartment.

When you think about it toys have been friends for kids + adults alike for as long as they’ve existed. Friends who bring you joy + comfort, friends who always agree with you + run with your imagination, friends who will always be right where you left them. I can’t imagine a life without my toy friends.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Are you a friend or foe of toys?  Do you still have toys you loved as a child or have you let them all go for the sake of adulthood?  Let me know in the comments below!

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Patchwork Indie Art + Craft Festival Culver City

Posted on June 19, 2012 | Leave a comment

We recently had the pleasure to take part in Patchwork Indie Art + Craft Festival’s Culver City show at the historic Helm’s Bakery on 6.10.12.  It was a fun event with lots of amazing creative local talents along with new + old friends.  We’ll follow-up with a few of our favorites later on.  For now check out some of the highlights from the show!

Photo credits:  Alex van Haaff

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Earth Day 2012: TreePeople

Posted on April 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

Earth Day is this Sunday, April 22nd + I want to share with you one of my absolute favorite non-profits, TreePeople!

TreePeople is a non-profit organization that unites the power of people + trees to grow a sustainable Los Angeles.  Their mission is to inspire, engage + support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun + sustainable + to share the process as a model for the world.  TreePeople’s headquarters are located at the beautiful Coldwater Canyon Park (formerly Mountain Fire Station 108) at Coldwater Canyon + Muholland Drive.

Through TreePeople you can become a part of the answer in so many ways! You can simply donate funds by becoming a member, purchasing tree donations as gifts (check out the cute Mother’s Day tree dedication card below!) or by getting your hands dirty.  You can learn how to plant + care for trees on your street, plant fruit trees in low-income neighborhoods, reforest burnt mountainsides or bring it home + take any number of the many FREE workshops they offer on how to create an eco-friendly + sustainable household.

Purchase a Mother’s Day Tree Dedication!

Aside from the fact that TreePeople is AMAZING I have a very personal attachment to them. TreePeople is quite literally my happy place. I moved to Los Angeles from Central Massachusetts in January 2005 after going to college in Boston.  I really enjoy city life but there is a lot of truth to the saying “you can take the girl out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the girl.” I basically grew up in the woods where our imaginations could run wild + we could be free if only until supper time. There have been many moments in my life where I have seriously considered moving to a treehouse in the woods but in truth I enjoy life when in close proximity to both the city + nature.

When I first moved to LA I would hike the popular Runyon Canyon with friends.  On a lunch break it was nice + casual but on a Saturday morning it was as if we were on a walking audition or dating show.  Great for the glutes but not so great for the spirit.  A friend mentioned there were hiking trails on Coldwater Canyon just as it meets Muholland Drive + I had to explore the area for myself.  As I stepped down the stone staircase onto the soft dirt path littered with fallen leaves that fell from the canopy of branches overhead I was nearly transported to my childhood sensibility.  I was in the woods + yet I was still in LA!  Before this moment I hadn’t thought it was possible to have nature within this city.  There-in lies the magic of LA, as concrete as it may seem there really is natural beauty everywhere, you just have to be open + willing to look for it.  TreePeople’s trails soon became my sanctuary, it was where I went when I felt homesick or frustrated, it was where I went for fresh air + to think, I have practiced yoga + meditation on it’s hillsides + I have dreamed for greater things there.  It’s truly one of the most important places in LA to me + through my gratitude I have dedicated myself back to them.  I have planted trees with them (I met my boyfriend of 3 years on the evening of my first tree planting, I credit good Karma for that!), I have taken many workshops, dedicated trees to family + most importantly I have witnessed the beauty + empowering impact a community has when it comes together.

So if you’re looking for a great organization to support or volunteer with TreePeople is the place to go.  Not only do they offer fantastic opportunities but the nicest people work for this organization, you will end up having a great time no matter what you do!  If you’re in the LA area on May 5th check out the 2nd Annual Green City Fair to see what TreePeople is like for yourself + your kids!  While you’re at it check out the LA Bluegrass Station, a benefit concert in support of TreePeople featuring Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers + hosted by Ed Helms, star of The Office, how cool is that?!

If you only do one thing this Earth Day I hope it’s to give thanks to this beautiful world we all share.

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