Skull mandala to color

Click on the image for the larger version to color.

Yay! Halloween is tomorrow. Yesterday we went out for some Halloween fun. TG dressed as a white mage from Final Fantasy in a cape she designed and sewed by hand herself. She was very secretive about her costume. Just insisting "I have it." and refusing to answer any questions. It turned out lovely.
William decided on a quickie adventurer type and collaborated with his sister for his last minute costume. I'll post my pumpkin butter recipe tomorrow for everyone planning to cook their jack-lanterns.

A Pirate Compass Rose to Color

It's TLAP again. I hope you enjoy this compass rose to color, embroider or use for pyrography! Click on the image for a larger version.

Skull and Cross Bone Cupcake Toppers

When I made the prototype for these, I asked the Turnip Girl "What kind of design should I use for my blog?" I really expected an answer like peace symbols or maybe something Gallifreyan. Instead she surprised me by saying "SKULLS!" I said "Cute skulls?" and she said yes.
To make these, you print the circles on card stock and the fan strips on paper. Cut out and accordion fold the paper strips following the lines, overlap the ends and glue them together to make an accordion folded tube. Cut out the circles. I use my handy dandy 1 inch circle punch to cut out the circles, but scissors work fine as well. Gently flatten the tube into a circle and glue a toothpick into one of the folds. Then glue a circle to the back, oriented so the top of the skull is in the opposite direction of the toothpick. You can use something that's just a bit heavy to weigh it down so it dries flat. I used a bottle of hair beads. Then glue the second circle to the front.
2 sheets of fan strips and 1 sheet of circles makes 14 cupcake toppers with 2 circles to spare.
Click on the images for the full  sized 300 dpi versions.

Strawberry-Rhubarb coloring page

I'm working on a set of rhubarb labels for a friend, and put this together while I was working on it. Hope you like it! The idea of rhubarb "crossbones" with the cute strawberry to make a strawberry-rhubarb pie design just seems so cute. The coloring page can be used for coloring, embroidery, etc. It's 100 dpi PNG format- non-transparent. Click on the image for the full sized version.

Pirate Eye Patches

Repost from the other blog. This was a project I posted in 2005 when my daughter was 10 and completely into pirates.

You will need a couple colors of felt, whatever your two colors are.
Embroidery floss to match or contrast.
and some elastic to hold the whole thing in place (I used a pretty stretch lace, but just a 1/4 inch black elastic will work as well)
and needles. I use fairly large ones, but that could just be in comparision to the size 12 beading needles I'm so used to using.
Total cost? Under a 3 dollars to make a few.
Skill set needed:
blanket stitch
back stitch
french knot

all one picture, you can right click and save
cut out two of the main patch piece out of the color felt you chose for the eyepatch, and then one skull or whatever sort of shape you want out of the other color. Don't feel like you have to use my skull. That would be silly. Do what you want, esp. if you are an embroidery person or a beader person who might want to do something more detailed. Like a tattoo design. Wouldn't that be neat? Esp. that sort of outline style embroidery that is so minimalistic but colorful? Except if you are going to embroider, you might want to do that *before* you cut the patch pieces out, and if you're going to bead it, I'd strongly suggest gluing or ironing on a small circle of interfacing on the back of the patch piece. Hmm.. maybe an article for Halloween? I could do beaded ones?
If you're using glitter felt, make sure the back piece you cut out is cut out so the non-glitter part will face your eye. I don't know that the glitter will flake off, but you don't want to risk your eyes.
Decorate the front piece, with the pretty little skull or whatever, the skull is blanket stitched on, with tiny circles cut out of the black felt for eyes, and a backstitched mouth and "french" knots for the nose. I used a contrasting color to stitch on and kind of outline the skull. You could glue it on, I like the more finished and folky look of the embroidery.
Cut off a piece of elastic that fits your head comfortably. Emily and I have big heads. It takes a decent sized piece of elastic. You want it to *fit*, not too snug. These are actually fairly comfortable if you can ignore the whole "I can't see out one eye" thing. Stitch the ends together securely.
Sandwich it at an angle between the two eyepatch pieces, and stitch it all together using a blanket stitch.

Jolly Roger earring patterns

I hope you enjoy this set of Jolly Roger Skull brick stitch earring patterns.


I was considering making them an e-book for 99 cents, but instead decided to post them for free. If you'd like to make a small donation using the button on the right I'd appreciate it, but it isn't necessary. You have my permission to make these earrings for sale as long as they are not being mass produced.