"The Book Review Corner Blog" - 5 new articles
I Redesigned My Book Review Corner Blog From 3-Columns To 4-Columns The other day I spent the morning learning how to create a 4-column blog out of my 3-column "The Book Review Corner" blog and I'm happy to report that I had "success." I love how it turned out and think it suits this particular blog just fine. However, I don't have any plans to change any of my other blogs as I think that either the 2-column format or the 3-column format suits each of them just fine. The 4-column format works for The Book Review Corner blog, but because there are so many columns the main post isn't as wide and each of the columns will only hold an image that is 150 pixels wide. But, as mentioned, this format works for this particular blog. I had to change the HTML coding in my template to accomplish this. Since I had already converted this blog to a 3-column blog previously it wasn't quite as difficult to convert to 4-columns as I had envisioned. If you'd like to see the HTML coding changes that I made to convert my blog from 3-columns to 4-columns please CLICK HERE for my Linda's How-Do-I Series: Changing My Blog From 3-Columns to 4-Columns post on my Tips For Crafters On The Web blog. There are some websites out there that provide the coding for a 4-column blog, and if you're starting from scratch you can use them, but I already had a ton of modules that I had added and a lot of customization that I had already added to The Book Review Corner blog that I didn't want to have to re-enter so I took the approach above.What worked for me and my blog above might not work for you and your blog as your blogs HTML and CSS coding might be slightly different. It took a little while, but I was happy with the way it all turned out. I'd love for you to check out the redesign of The Book Review Corner blog and let me know what you think.  More Punchneedle Kits Made And Reviewed In 2009 Like everything I do I never do anything in moderation. Instead of just creating a couple of punchneedle and cross-stitch kits to give as Christmas presents I created 30 or more. As a result I had more than I needed to give as presents. Was this intentional? Maybe! Then again, maybe not! Maybe I'm so highly organized that I knew I would need some in the future. Anticipating the future? Maybe! Then again, maybe not! In any event I ended up with more shadowboxes than I needed. The punchneedle pine tree shown above was created based upon a "Pine Tree" pattern kit by Rachael T. Pellam of Rachael's of Greenfield  that I added a dark green, burgundy and white sponge painted wood shadowbox frame to. This pattern included detailed instructions and tips for punchneedle as well as an iron-on transfer sheet that you had to iron on to the foundation cloth which was included in the kit. It also included a piece of paper with the DMC floss numbers printed on it and each of the floss strands grouped by color tied to a punched out square next to it's respective DMC floss number. It did not include a diagram with the detailed numbers on it but included a listing on the back of the pattern indicating which DMC floss numbers were to be used and where.
If you would like to buy the "Pine Tree" pattern kit by Rachael T. Pellam of Rachael's of Greenfieldpattern please CLICK HERE or click on the picture above. I also found a wonderful punchneedle pattern by Linda Coleman of Jeremiah Junction called "Folksy Sheep" that I liked. As with my other punchneedle projects I decided to add a sponged painted wood shadowbox frame. I wanted the frame to appear like the sky so I sponge painted it royal blue, light blue, and white. The pattern and instructions were easy to follow and the diagram was well laid out and easy to read. The pattern included the pre-printed weavers cloth. What I also really liked about the Jeremiah Junction pattern was that it not only included a diagram with the colored DMC floss numbers but included a picture colored with the DMC floss colors and a table that included a small square of the DMC floss color and it's respective DMC, ANC, or JPC floss number. The kit included reverse pre-printed fabric, DMC floss, and pattern with instructions. The design was printed on the reverse side of the fabric and you work on the reverse side when punching to create the image on the front side. Here's my results: 
I also found several patterns from Dimensions that I liked. The 1st pattern and kit was Dimensions Live, Laugh, Love Kit #73224  which was easy to follow and had diagrams and numbered key codes for the DMC floss. The kit included reverse pre-printed fabric, DMC floss, and pattern with instructions as well as punch needle tips. The design was printed on the reverse side of the fabric and you work on the reverse side when punching to create the image on the front side.
The pattern and kit was for creating a framed picture with the fabric serving as the picture mat. I decided to make mine as a purple, pink, cream, and white sponge painted shadow box that could be placed just about anywhere. The white fabric was to serve as the white backdrop, but I changed this and added white floss as separators and changed all the colors from what the pattern called for to something I wanted instead. I surrounded my mounted press board punchneedle image with blue and pink lace trim and then enclosed it within my shadowbox. Here's my results. 
If you would like to buy the Dimensions Live, Laugh, Love Kit #73224 pattern and kit please CLICK HERE or click on the picture above. The 2nd pattern and kit was Dimensions Vase Of Flowers Kit #73400  which was easy to follow and had diagrams and numbered key codes for the DMC floss. The kit included reverse pre-printed fabric, DMC floss, and pattern with instructions as well as punch needle tips. The design was printed on the reverse side of the fabric and you work on the reverse side when punching to create the image on the front side.
The pattern and kit was for creating a framed picture with the fabric serving as the picture mat. The white fabric was to serve as the white backdrop and the punchneedle image had leaves and flowers extending out from the main body of the punchneedle. I decided to box my picture and box around the flowers and leaves so it would fit in my baby blue, cream, and white sponge painted shadow box. Here's my results. 
If you would like to buy the Dimensions Vase Of Flowers Kit #73400 pattern and kit please CLICK HERTE or click on the picture above. The 3rd pattern and kit was Dimensions There's No Place Like Home Kit #73401  which was easy to follow and had diagrams and numbered key codes for the DMC floss. The kit included reverse pre-printed fabric, DMC floss, and pattern with instructions as well as punch needle tips. The design was printed on the reverse side of the fabric and you work on the reverse side when punching to create the image on the front side.
The pattern and kit was for creating a framed picture with the fabric serving as the picture mat and the words "There's No Place Like Home" embroidered on the bottom of the picture. . The white fabric was to serve as the white backdrop and the punchneedle image had tree tops extending out from the top of the main body of the punchneedle. I decided to box my picture and box around the tree tops so it would fit in my lilac, green, yellow, and blue sponge painted shadow box. I also changed some of the colors of the trees and ran out of the blue they included for the sky and had to substitute some of my own floss. Here's my results. 
If you would like to buy the Dimensions There's No Place Like Home Kit #73401 pattern and kit please CLICK HERE or click on the picture above. I also found a wonderful punchneedle pattern by Linda Coleman of Jeremiah Junction called "Crow and Sunflower"  that I liked. As with my other punchneedle projects I decided to add a sponged painted wood shadowbox frame.
The pattern and instructions were easy to follow and the diagram was well laid out and easy to read. The pattern included the pre-printed weavers cloth. What I also really liked about the Jeremiah Junction pattern was that it not only included a diagram with the colored DMC floss numbers but included a picture colored with the DMC floss colors and a table that included a small square of the DMC floss color and it's respective DMC, ANC, or JPC floss number. The kit included reverse pre-printed fabric, DMC floss, and pattern with instructions. The design was printed on the reverse side of the fabric and you work on the reverse side when punching to create the image on the front side. Here's my results: 
If you would like to buy the Linda Coleman of Jeremiah Junction called "Crow and Sunflower" pattern and kit please K HEREor click on the picture above: I also found a wonderful punchneedle pattern by Linda Coleman of Jeremiah Junction called "Stoneware Crock" that I liked. The pattern called for a scrolled top to the punchneedle piece, but I squared my top so that it would fit in the royal blue, beige, dark blue and white sponged painted wood shadowbox frame.
The pattern and instructions were easy to follow and the diagram was well laid out and easy to read. The pattern included the pre-printed weavers cloth. What I also really liked about the Jeremiah Junction pattern was that it not only included a diagram with the colored DMC floss numbers but included a picture colored with the DMC floss colors and a table that included a small square of the DMC floss color and it's respective DMC, ANC, or JPC floss number. The kit included reverse pre-printed fabric, DMC floss, and pattern with instructions. The design was printed on the reverse side of the fabric and you work on the reverse side when punching to create the image on the front side. This is one of the shadowboxes that I am keeping as it's primitive nature and blue colors fit right in with my home decor. In fact, it resides right next to several of my blue crock pottery pieces on my dining room mantle. Here's my results:  
Cross-Stitch and Punchneedle Kits That I Made As Gifts For Family - Christmas 2009
 I also found a wonderful "Apple Tree" primitive punchneedle embroidery kit to create a 3" x 4" punchneedle primitive apple tree with crow that I loved. My apple tree was created based upon a "Apple Tree" pattern kit by Rachael T. Pellam of Rachael's of Greenfield  that I added a dark green, gray and white sponge painted wood shadowbox frame to. This pattern included detailed instructions and tips for punchneedle as well as an iron-on transfer sheet that you had to iron on to the foundation cloth which was included in the kit. It also included a piece of paper with the DMC floss numbers printed on it and each of the floss strands grouped by color tied to a punched out square next to it's respective DMC floss number. It did not include a diagram with the detailed numbers on it but included a listing on the back of the pattern indicating which DMC floss numbers were to be used and where.
If you would like to buy the "Black Hen" pattern kit by Rachael T. Pellam of Rachael's of Greenfield pattern and kit please CLICK HERE or on the picture above. I also found a wonderful "Apple Tree" primitive punchneedle embroidery kit to create a 3" x 4" punchneedle primitive apple tree with crow that I loved. My apple tree was created based upon a "Apple Tree" pattern kit by Rachael T. Pellam of Rachael's of Greenfield that I added a dark green, gray and white sponge painted wood shadowbox frame to. This pattern included detailed instructions and tips for punchneedle as well as an iron-on transfer sheet that you had to iron on to the foundation cloth which was included in the kit. It also included a piece of paper with the DMC floss numbers printed on it and each of the floss strands grouped by color tied to a punched out square next to it's respective DMC floss number. It did not include a diagram with the detailed numbers on it but included a listing on the back of the pattern indicating which DMC floss numbers were to be used and where.
If you would like to purchase the "Apple Tree" pattern kit by Rachael T. Pellam of Rachael's of Greenfield please CLICK HERE or click on the picture above. Another one of the bird punchneedle kits that I bought was one of a cardinal in a group of birch trees. I knew my sister would LOVE this too. The punchneedle kit was Dimensions Bird In Birch Trees Kit #73433  was easy to follow and had diagrams and numbered key codes for the DMC floss. The kit included reverse pre-printed fabric, DMC floss, and pattern with instructions as well as punch needle tips. The design was printed on the reverse side of the fabric and you work on the reverse side when punching to create the image on the front side.
The pattern and kit was for creating a framed picture with the fabric serving as the picture mat. I decided to make mine as little sponge painted shadow box that could be placed just about anywhere. I wanted the colors of the sponge painted shadowbox to compliment the colors of the birch trees and love how it all turned out. My sister LOVED it, too. 
If you would like to buy the Dimensions Bird In Birch Trees Kit #73433 pattern and kit please CLICK HERE or click on the picture above. I had so much fun creating my punchneedle and cross-stitch shadowboxes that I want to make some more. The problem is I've been giving them as gifts for a couple of years now. Maybe it's time for a change. Oh, but I just love doing punchneedle. Maybe one more year will be okay..........  "Santa Ornaments" Mary Engelbreit #85310 Plaid From Bucilla
 I Really Wanted To Try Needle Felting and Penny Rug Felting - I Loved It!  I decided last year that I wanted to try needle felting and penny rug felting with wool felt as it seemed like everyone was having so much fun with it this year. I don't mean wet needle felting where you are actually creating a needle felted object from the wet felt. I'm just not that adventuresome! Penny rug felting involves using pieces of wool felt hand-sewn in a decorative pattern using a blanket stitch or other embroidered stitch to create a miniature rug that is hung as a decoration or used as a tablecloth. Needle felting is similar to penny rug felting only it also includes using roving that is punched into the wool felt to create part of the decoration. Decorative pieces created of this nature are usually primitive in design and created for a primitive decor. Here you take a piece of wool felt and place it over a needle felt mat. Then you take a bunch of the roving and using the needle felt tool you keep punching the roving into the wool felt piece until you get the desired effect that you want. Wool penny rugs started out as coin shaped decorations stitched together from scraps of fabric. According to Wikipedia.com: In the 1800s, starting around the time of the Civil War, thrifty homemakers would use scraps of wool or felted wool from old clothing, blankets and hats to create designs for mats or rugs. Using coins as templates, they created circles and each piece was then stitched in blanket stitch fashion. (Thus, the name "penny" rug). Sometimes, the mats or rugs were backed with old burlap bags or feed sacks. Sometimes a penny was stitched inside the mat to make it lie flat. Penny rugs and needle felted wool decorations are very popular with the "primitive" home decorating community. They are no longer rugs for the floors but have developed into all sorts of decorations for ones home. I started with three wool felt kits where one was a penny rug type decoration that needed to have some sheep and tree decorations needle felted. The other two kits were more like wool felt embroidery kits to create primitive wool decorations which could be hung on a wall or placed on a table top. All three of the patterns were designs from Lakeview Primitives. The first was the "Wish Upon A Star" pattern by Lakeview Primitives (www.lakeviewprimitives.com) and the store I bought it from had already put the pattern together with the wool pieces, with the DMC floss, and with the buttons. The pattern was very easy to follow and included some tips for felting wool as well as instructions for creating blanket and straight decorative stitches. Here's the result:  I decided to add a cardboard layer in between the front embroidered wool piece and the back wool piece so I could hang it on the wall and created a little DMC Embroidery hook to do so. It will be hanging in my house during the winter season.
The second pattern was "Puppy Paws" by Lakeview Primitives (www.lakeviewprimitives.com) and the store I bought it from had already put the pattern together with the wool pieces, with the DMC floss, and with the buttons. The pattern was very easy to follow and included some tips for felting wool. Here's the result:  I also added a cardboard piece in between the embroidered front wool piece and the back wool piece to stiffen it as I intended for this to reside on the top of a pellet stove when not in use.
The 3rd pattern was one that required needle felting gray and burgundy roving into the wool felt and necessitated using needle felting needles and other needle felting tools. It took me a long time to find the needle felting needles and tools, but I was finally able to do so at a local Michael's store. The third pattern was "Piece on Earth" by Lakeview Primitives (www.lakeviewprimitives.com) and the store I bought it from had already put the pattern together with the wool pieces, with the DMC floss, and with the two sizes of gold bells. The pattern was very easy to follow and included some tips for felting wool and using needle felt tools. Here's the result:  Again, I added a cardboard piece in between the embroidered and needle felted front piece and back wool piece as I intended for this to hang on one of my walls during the holiday season.
As with my punch needle creations I really enjoyed the wool felt and needle felting projects. So, of course, I bought a couple more. Those are on the back burner for when I can find some spare time. Maybe the next time I'll get adventurous and try wet needle felting! Yeah! Like that's gonna happen anytime soon! Depending upon your project, if you are going to try needle felting on wool felt for decorating then you will need either a needle felt tool with a single needle or multiple needles like one of those shown below: You'll also need replacement needles and a needle felting mat like one of those shown below: Sometimes all of the tools can be bought in kits like those shown below:  More Recent Articles
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The "Santa Ornaments kit contained pre-printed felt, cotton floss, needles, beads abd embellishments, and instructions to make six hand felted Santa ornaments.
