Cartwheels In My Mind

Art Shoppe Interview: REVolution.

Revlie is one of the craftiest person I know. It always amazes me how she finds the time to create all that she does. She has such a wonderful personality, sense of humor and a no-nonsense attitude. She has a heart of gold and a wonderful friend.

On top of being a mom/wife, artist and full-time business owner, Revlie finds time to create lushes mini albums and tutorials, that you can find in her etsy shop, REVolution. They are filled with loads of techinques, textures & ideas you will love. When you go to her blog, Life Is Good, you will be amazingly inspired by her crafty goodness. I always look foward to seeing what she has up her sleeves next! She is quite the innovator!!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Revlie Schuit
35 years (36 on October 7 :D)
live with hub Arjan and our 2 muppets: Sanne (7, girl) and Ruben (3, boy).
Netherlands
company owner
chocolate
Vichy handcream
imac
colors
handmade stuff
scrapbooking
sewing
crochet
running
tulips
i should go to bed more early than i do now
i bite nails when i'm nervous or anxious
i laugh too loud and i'm extremely clumbsy
that about sums it all up ...

Describe your business.
I write online tutorials for mini albums and sell those tutorials and sometimes kits to go with it on Etsy. You can, of course, design the mini  you like, but if you need a little get-go you can use my step-by-step instructions. I’m working on tutorials for crochet and sew projects also.

What made you decide to open an art business?
I heard a lot of friends and scrapbook friends say they loved my mini albums but did not know how to make them themselves. So I thought,  step-by-step instructions with LOADS of pictures was what we missed. If you are a beginner you can easily create the mini albums, and if you are a pro already you can simply skip some steps you know how to do already. Also, if you just need some inspiration it’s perfect to use my tutorials and give them your own twist. Love that!

When did you start doing art?
mmm. I guess since my childhood, but since my kids were born (Sanne in 2003) I’m more into it ‘professionally”.

Where does your inspiration come from?
Mostly from everyday stuff and my kids. Love homemade magazines and “live mindful” magazines (all dutch :D)

What are your long term career goals?
I also own a business for Secretarial Services (Artifex Support) since 2000. So 10 years already now. Arjan & I run that together and to be quite honest, I’ve been there, seen that and done that, I feel I need to run a creative business more fulltime than I do now. So, my long term goal is to take a step back from my Secretarial Service business and invest more time in my creative business. Now it’s just a matter of lack of time. With 2 young kids (Ruben goes to school in 6 months from now, that’ll give me more time), 1 very, very hectic company and starting 1 creative company I’ve got my hands full :D

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to while you create?
All sorts of. Jason Mraz (spell that ok?) is my favorite. And Amy McDonald, of course the Black Eyed Peas, and some Dutch Artists (Alain Clark, Ilse DeLange, Jan Smit, Nick&Simon).

What and/or who are your influences?
Mostly every day life for scrapbooking, for crochet & sewing and my kids. I love to ‘solve problems’ (make something out of fabric or crochet something they think they need to buy in store, haha). I love to visit some blogs from great artists like Kal Barteski, Elsie Flannigan and some sewing masters :D

Do you have a motto you live by?
Life is good! Even if it sucks sometimes, it’s still good. And of course, “weather you think you CAN’T or CAN do it, you are right :D),

Where do you see yourself & your business in the next 5 years? mmmm, I like to take smaller steps, but I’m sure in 5 years I’ll be running my creative business fulltime and can be there for the kids when they are not in school. So for them, I’ll be a stay at home mommy, I would love to only work during school hours.

Any tips and tricks to other artists/business owners?
Just GO for it. If you love what you do, success WILL come. I know I can reach my goals if I set my mind to it. Proof for me is my company Artifex Support I run now. 10 years ago I simply quit my well payed job and started it from home. People told me I was CRAZY. Insane! I wouldn’t make it. Of course, I proved them wrong. ha. Don’t let other people hold you down from YOUR dreams and plans.

Describe your creative process...
During the day I’ve got a lot of ideas I jot down in my idea book or any paper that’s nearby. In the evening, when the kids are asleep, I go to my creative room (scrap, sew, crochet) and start making what I had in mind, or go on with what I was already creating. It’s like I’ve got so many ideas, my head would explode if I don’t write them down. There’s just too little time to make them all.

Advice you would like to share for someone looking into starting their own art business?
Stick to your own ideas and plans. Don’t let other people give their opinion on your work. Believe in yourself. Don’t be shy. You need to be a little outgoing and straight forward to reach your goals. Advertise, advertise, advertise!! Get your name out there. You can place banners on blog(s) that doesn’t have to be expensive. Try to get an interview with crafting magazines or other magazines. In Holland, it works like: you send something you sell to the editors of the magazine trying to get them to publish it. Keep positive. It takes time to set up & run a business.

Can you cartwheel? If so, we'd love to see a photo!
:) haha. See, I’m like extremely clumsy. So, if I could even TRY to do a cartwheel, I’m certain I’ll break a bone you didn’t know you have in your body. So, I'll just leave you with that mental image...

When you're looking for inspiration be sure to check out Revlie's blog, Life Is Good. You can also find more of her artwork at on a regular basis at these fun scrapbook inspiration & challenge blogs...One Little Word & Color Conspiracy.

Revlie has generously offered two lucky readers a chance to win the Embrace My Life tutorial from her REVolution shop. All you have to do is leave a comment to this post and two winners will be randomly chosen. You have until Sunday at evening. So good luck! :)

Thanks so much Revlie for sharing your creative world with us and wishing you tons of success!

Cheers :)

Update Your Room - Inspiration Wire!

Hello all!  

As I started to think about how I was going to pull our guest room together.. I kept coming back to the idea of adding an inspiration wire.. less for inspiration purposes... more just for decorative fun!  Something that I can easily add to as time goes on.. switch up with the seasons, or even add personal touches for the guests that might be spending time at our house!

I gathered all of the items on the wire from around the house!  I spent no extra money on this project.. which is always a bonus!  I used some scrapbooking supplies including butterflies punched from this yummy SEI patterned paper!  Some fabric, black and white photos of my kids and a tree printed from this digital kit!  Such a great feeling using items from around the house!  ..I may or may not have raided the bulletin board in my crafting space! heee! ;)

Yay for fun inexpensive ways to add yummy texture to any space!  When I say any space.. I really mean it!  You could work one of these fun inspiration wires into any room of your home!

Check out this one created by Veronica Jennings which was showcased in this article all about her wonderful creative space!  LOV-ING the cardboard deer head!!!  I love how she grouped it with other objects!

Or this super fun colourful photo wire that hangs above Miss Cheryl's bed!!  YUM!!  This is seriously cute!  So inspiring!

OK.. who else is feeling the urge to go make inspiration wires? lol  After seeing Veronica's and Cheryl's again.. I know I want to go add one to every room... not just the spare/guest room!!  Happy creating everyone!!  Yay for handmade decor! :)

Jumpstart On A Wednesday:: Pretty Little Hairbows.

Remember how I said that I'm mildly obsessed with designing my own jewelry? Well, I'm kind of the same way with Gracie's hairbows. I love LOVE it when she has a unique little handmade clip in her hair that I designed specifically with her outfit in mind.

For these little bow-tie hairclips, I actually picked up a bunch of plain plastic ones on clearance at Penny's thinking that I would make them into a project later. I really even liked them plain (and wore them a few times myself) but knew that at some point I'd think of a fun way to alter them.

To make them, I was basically just playing around with them one day and started wrapping a scrap piece of fabric around the plastic forms and happened upon the cutest little hair bows! It literally took just a small dab of craft glue to hold the fabric together and then 3 times of wrapping the fabric and they were finished!

And once I started I (obviously) didn't want to stop...I just kept making them until I ran out of plastic clips...I think I stopped at around 40. But it was so easy and fun...and best of all could be done while watching TV (because you know those projects are my favorites!:D).

What are YOU working on this week?

 

 

Stitch in Style: Pillow Make Over

Once upon a time, I was obsessed with red.  We had it in almost every room of our house.  I bought some throw pillows from Pottery Barn that had red pillow covers.  After a while, I got over my red obsession and put the pillows away and didn't look at them for over a year.  This past month, I pulled them out and decided I would make new covers for them.  (I think it was mostly due to nesting.  Haha!)  Here's what I did:

 First, I gathered my supplies.  (Pillow inserts, one of the pillow covers to use as a template, fabric for my new covers, rotary cutter, straight edge, cutting mat, sewing pins, sewing machine, thread, scissors, zippers, yarn, hand sewing needle, embroidery thread.)

 Once I had everything gathered, I turned the pillow cover I did have inside out, laid it on my fabric and cut out the pieces I needed using the rotary cutter, straight edge, and cutting mat.  I pinned them together, and sewed them on three sides.  Then I pinned the zipper in place, put the zipper foot on my sewing machine, and stitched that in place, making sure to leave the zipper open.  I turned it right side out and put my pillow form in.  And I was left with a super cute pillow for my couch or chair.


 The second pillow cover I did used solid fabric on one side and patterned fabric on the other side.  I crocheted a granny square in coordinating colors with the fabric on the back.  Once I was done sewing the pillow cover, I used my hand sewing needle and the embroidery thread to whip stitch the granny square onto the solid colored fabric.  It turned out cuter than I had hoped and it goes super well with my knit pouf that we use as a foot rest.  Now we have "new" throw pillows and we can live happily ever after.  (Or at least until I decide I'm ready for new covers!)

Designer Interview...Jessica Fediw.

 

Not all creative projects have to be expensive.  In fact, there is the beauty of upcycling - taking something you already have and recycling/upgrading it to something even more fabulous!  And did you know you can sometimes create your own version of something so fabulous in that new catalog that landed in your mailbox for a small fraction of the cost?

Enter Jessica Fediw.

Jessica is the founder of Oh So Happy Together and a DIY-er extraordinaire! She is super inspiring in her do-it-yourself ways and has the best tutorials.  Really. And not only will she teach you how to do make some cool projects, but she inspires you to look at things in a new way and see potential instead of something you need to just simply toss out.

Keep reading and you'll find out all kinds of facts about Jessica, what inspires her and how she does it all!  I promise you'll be inspired to grab some scissors and thread and try your hand at some DIY clothing as well!

Where are ya from, Jessica?
Well, I was raised in Virginia Beach, VA and moved to Jacksonville, FL almost two years ago for my hubbies job (he's in the Coast Guard). We are actually in the midst of moving to Pace,FL right now for him to attend flight school. So we are living in hotels until our new house is ready.

Do you have a website &/or blog?  Where can we find you on the web?
I have a blog, www.ohsohappytogether, where I mostly write about my crafting endeavors. I sew, crochet, and play around with a lot of other crafts. I love to share what I learn and create with tutorials too. It's the "teacher" side of me.

You can also find Jessica & Oh So Happy Together on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and she even has an etsy shop!

Tell us about your family, if you'd like.


I married my college sweetheart and he's the love of my life. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else. He's amazing. He's also super talented. He plays the guitar, drums, sings, is an excellent writer and speaker, and is good at soccer. I have a three year old daughter as well. She's a little firecracker for sure. Very strong willed and loud, but also funny and very loving. She loves to have me make her things and tells everyone that I made it for her.

So when do you start creating?
I grew up with a very crafty mom and talented grandmother. My grandma used to make me clothes and crochet beautiful things. So when I was little there were always things for me to "create" with, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I really took up an interest in things like sewing and crocheting. It was the last year of college that I really got into it (a little over 4 years ago).
 
And why do you love to create handmade projects?
For so many reasons:
1) It makes me happy!
2) I love making things for people to bless them.
3) It brings me a sense of fulfillment.
4) It provides me with a wonderful outlet.

Where do you look for inspiration?
I look for it all over the place from nature to department stores. The best inspiration is always the kind I wasn't looking for.
 
What's going on in your art space while you create?
Well, right now it's all packed up in boxes. But I am super excited because the house we are moving into will allow me to have my very own room to create in!!!! I'm so excited! I have no idea if I will ever have this again, so I'm so thankful for what I am about to experience with that.

What are a few of your FAVORITE projects you've done?
Recently, I made some crochet hair bows for my daughter and for some to sell. I just love them! So simple and cute.

And my most favorite accessory at the moment I made was this necklace. I always get a lot of compliments on it.

 
What are your go-to supplies for handmade projects?
The main thing I work with is fabric, but there are so many things that come in handy for the variety of projects I do. I could list like a whole page!

Do you have a goal for a certain number of projects per week or do you just create as it comes?
You know, I used to but then I realized that at this place in my life it is unrealistic. With the responsibilities of being a mom, wife, and homemaker, I simply do the other things when I have the time. I usually get the most done when both my daughter and hubby are asleep. I don't have anyone really to watch my daughter, so I have to strongly rely on her sleep schedule.

Any other hobbies you enjoy?
In my little bit of spare time here and there, I like to learn about photography and practice it. My #1 goal for this hobby is to capture family memories the way I want to and then #2 provide nice pictures for my blog.

Can you share a few of your favorite shops that inspire you or you just plain love?
If you follow my blog, you know that I adore Anthropologie. I just love the uniqueness of it all. I also am inspired by J Crew, Mod Cloth, Urban Outfitters and Target.

Now a few random fill-in-the-blanks...

First thing in the morning, I... wake up to "Mommy!!!! Get up now!!!!" and groggily head to the kitchen to make breakfast for the little one.

I'd love to travel to...Europe.

My favorite season is... fall because... it's cooler weather which means cuddly cardigans and boots with the thought that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.

My guilty pleasure...SWEET TEA. I just can't break the habit!

I love to listen to..all kinds of music.

Some artists on my playlist right now: Jason Upton, Kelanie Gloeckler and Beckah Shae.

Any hints on an upcoming handmade project you'll be featuring on your blog?
I am hoping to get some fall things up once we are settled in our new house and all. Some are decorative stuff and of course, some clothing :)

Here are a few more of Jessica's cool projects!  You can get more details and how-to's on her blog!

Thanks, Jessica, for sharing your creative story with us here at Cartwheels In My Mind and for being an inspiration for handmade designs. Gotta love handmade.
 

Mind On Metal: Zipper Jewelry.

Hello crafters! Welcome to another month of Mind On Metal. Today, it is all about the zipper; zipper fashion has been pretty hot on the scene for over a year now (if not more) and the designs still keep getting better. You see them all over fashion magazines, the runways and even your favorite local department stores. I've been admiring them for quite some time and wanted to make a few pieces of my own. Gotta stay hip with the trends right?! I love the feel and texture of the zippers and creating something so cool and trendy was exhilarating.

I love anything simple and making something that really doesn't take a lot of time to create. Rings are probably one of my favorite pieces of jewelry next to necklaces. They are as fun to make as they are to wear. An eye catching cocktail ring is something every girl needs in her wardrobe.

This brings us to my simple project I created using half a zipper...the Zipper Flower Cocktail Ring. Purely made using a needle, some floss and a little tension.

For this project, I used a 22 inch long gray zipper with a silver hardware. To split the zipper, I just cut at the end with sharp pair of craft scissors. Use at least 35 inches of floss, that's been divided in half & hand sew onto lower edge of zipper as shown in photo above.

Make sure there is excess floss at each end & pull the floss creating a randomly gathered look (flower of some sort) and tightly tie together. Snip off excess floss.

Since I didn't have rings with a flat top, I used an adjustable beaded ring & secured the zipper flower onto the ring by hand stitching through the holes of the ring base through the centers of the zipper.

The look of the ring is so much fun! I can't wait to make a few more in my favorite colors! Since I couldn't resist making more projects with the zippers, so I decided to share a few more pieces with you.

Flower Zipper Cuff

I added pearls using Helmar's Gemstone Glue and hot glued the zipper on each end on the back of the flower ribbon. Used velcro to close around wrist. You can always use eye hooks for closures, too.

Zipper Earrings

Rolled this pretty purple zipper together and adhered Making Memories pearl gems to the centers of each earring. Threaded a flat bottom headpin through the zipper & adorned with beads. Not heavy on the ears at all.

Zipper Pull Necklace



Takes you no time to make this pretty. For this one, I used the left over zipper pulls and threaded them onto a beaded chain and glued the actual pulls to the base of the zipper so they would stay in place. Totally wearable & fun!

There are all sorts of ways to wear zippers fashionably...add some to your handbag, dress up a cute pair of shoes or adorn a plain t-shirt. Even make a flower just for fun.

Cheers :)

Digikit "Maddie Embellishments" by Erica Hernandez