Primitive Brown Easter Egg Tuturial ... Spring is in the Air ...

In anticipation of spring ... I have been getting ready for all the babies that will be born and hatch out here at the farm. I have been busy readying the barns, pastures and nesting supplies.
And while the weather here, has been anything other than spring like ... I have taken advantage of the cold by creating a few more tutorials.
Today's tutorial is for dark brown primitive eggs ... these smell so good and are a snap to make. I know you all have most if not all the supplies!

Great do it your self texture ...

Supplies:
plastic dollar store eggs
brown craft paper or paper bags,or newspaper even tissue paper
white glue
mod podge/ watered down white glue
brown paint
cinnamon, cloves, apple pie spice (ground of course and your choice)
wax paper
optional:
old wax candle


Start with dollar store plastic eggs ...

Glue the rims of them ... And snap them back together.

Now, if you want to make one with a hanger for all those trees you keep up all year. (come on, admit that you do) Find the indentation at the top of the egg ... it will look like this.

Take an ale or ice pick and poke a hole in it ...

For the hanger I took some natural hemp twine, and slipped it through the egg from the inside (loop will be on the outside of egg) Now tie three overhand knots on top of each other.

Glue the knot for extra security ... Not heavy, but still.

Glue rim as others and snap back together.

Tear your papers into small pieces.

Now take mod podge or watered down white glue and cover egg with the paper of your choice ... here I used all three to show you how they all can be used to add different texture. And that is what I wanted ... TEXTURE.

Now that they are all covered, take mod podge or white glue and paint one more thin coat over the top and let dry thoroughly.

See the amazing texture that the papers add to these plastic eggs ...

Paint egg with brown paint of your color choice ... Let dry.

Close up ...

Cover painted egg with white glue or mod podge ... Let it get a LITTLE tacky.

Cover egg completely with cinnamon by shaking it from the dispenser.

You can if you want stop here ... And they are fine ...

Or you can go on to this step and make them amazing!
Remember this crappy Yankee candle? Well, I have a ton of it left. So I heated it up in a pan of water on low heat.

Make your own egg dipper out of wire ... It's easy ... think back to the PAA's egg dipper ...

The ones with the hangers are easy ... Just hold by hanger and push into wax with your other hand until submerged.

And the ones without the hangers ... just as easy ... toss it into the wax ... roll it around until covered.

And then use your home made dipper to retrieve it! Easy!

Now that you have them out sprinkle them with a small amount of cinnamon, ( I use a pumpkin pie spice on mine) not to much, you want the wax to show, as well as the first sprinkling of cinnamon.

Let them harden ...

And display ...

So now for my take aways on this ... Lets call them Teri's takeaways
(sorry Martha) it just sounds better ... LoL! You can paint these with whatever color YOU like, I have in the past done these in pastels, and of course the reds, golds and greens, I have also done them in a robin egg blue and speckled them with black paint. The choice is yours ... I just like the brown with the most amazing texture. Also, my favorite is the tissue paper, it is not the easiest to work with but the best texture. What ever your choice just have fun with it!
Also on a final note ... Blogger is really getting on my last nerve ... Again, took longer to do this post than to make 2 dozen eggs!
PLEASE ... Blogger I'm begging ... leave things alone! It's NOT better ... if it doesn't work!!!! Just sayin'.
Have a great week all!
WSF

Here a Duck ... There a Duck ... Everywhere a Duck, Duck ... I Hope ...

These little guys are so cute ...

Here they are waiting to be brought up to room temp. before heading into the incubator for 30 days ...

And here they are ... waiting on life to begin ...

I don't know what it is about this time of year ... But, I get the need to want to see baby things, ducks, chicks, goslings, lambs! Anything cute and fuzzy! However, the work involved is very hard and tiresome on this old gal ...
When we sold the other farm I gave up my ducks, and have yet to replace them. I saw these on Ebay and thought I would try to hatch some out. Wish THEM luck! Have a warm weekend!
WSF

Primitive Prairie Curtain Tutorial ... My way ...

Good morning,
Today I thought I would bring you a primitive curtain tutorial, and again all ... I'm pretty sure you all know how to make these ... but I did not. So, as with most things I sat and figured it out. And just in case you don't know how to make them or you don't want to pay an over inflated price on curtains made in ... well ... who knows where these days. Follow along, it's easy ... I promise.

And just to show you how very SIMPLE this is I will use the method that I figured this out with ... Kind of like flash cards ... LOL!! Plus it will be easier for you to see this way. As I am working with the same color thread as my fabric.
 
First of all these curtains can and SHOULD be adapted for your size window. Mine I made for a small window. But, it is the same principal.
Mine are made using Osnaburg fabric, I buy it by the bolt(S) one window 36 inches long took two yards of fabric. Remember my curtains are lined.
One other thing you need to remember is that when sewing the fabric, I am ONLY showing you for one panel, but for every fabric step you will want to do the step for BOTH fabric panels. Why? well, in the end BOTH panels will match up.

Supplies:
Fabric (figure yardage)
Yard stick
Pencil or chalk marker
Hemp twine or cording
BASIC SEWING SKILLS

Step 1 paper:
This is how I started ... I took a piece of printer paper (which was about the shape I needed) I drew a line from corner to corner in pencil.

Step 1 fabric:
I cut my fabric the size I need for my window, which was 36 inches long x the 45 width of the fabric.
I repeated the same thing as the paper. I took a LONG stick (or yard stick) and drew a line from corner to corner on DOUBLE fabric. (these are lined curtains)

Step 2 paper:
Next I cut the paper on the line from corner to corner ...

Step 2 fabric:
Here it is in the fabric ... same thing cut on the line from corner to corner

Step 3 paper:
Then I took the paper and flipped one side over ...

Step 3 fabric:
Same with the Double fabric ... Starting to look a little like what I want now. If you will be using a print fabric and a plain lining, here is where you will want to make sure you have them right. One side will have to be reversed.

Step 4 paper:
Sew all the way around starting and stopping at marked areas. I used a 1/2 inch seam allowance. You can use whatever you want just remember it directly affects the width and length or the curtain.

Step 4 fabric:
Now sew the curtains right sides together, leaving the small spot open on the one side for the rod casing and leaving the other side open for turning. Press seams, clip the points and turn RSO (right side out) and press again. At this point you should have only a small opening on the left side (rod casing) and a larger opening on the right side.

Step 4 fabric:
Here is a close up of the right side left open ... you should have at least this amount to turn RSO.

Step 5 paper:
Fold back the side with the larger opening. Between 5-7 inches. I folded mine back 7 inches due to my window being small. Remember these curtains are just a guide, they are made for my SMALL window.

Step 5 fabric:
Once your fabric is folded back desired amount, press fabric really well, as this will be your guide line for cutting fabric in next step.

Step 6 paper:
Now cut excess, but leave a 1/2 inch.

Step 6 fabric:
Cut fabric 1/2 inch away from press line. Now turn your 1/2 inch inward and press. The 1/2 inch will be your seam allowance.

Step 7 paper:
This is what your curtains should look like at this point.
Easy right? They should match side to side top to top and cut point to cut point.

Step 7 fabric:
Here they are all matched up. Top to top, side to side and cut ponit to cut point. If not, then you can make your adjustments now.

Step 8 paper:
Now measure for the rod casing. I use a tension rod, so my casing is 1 1/2 inches.

Step 8 fabric:
Measure and mark your casing, I have a rod casing of 1 1/2 inches. Mark for the size rod you will be using.

Step 8 fabric:
Sew, making sure to secure your starts and ends by back tacking. Your casing is now finished.

Step 8 Hand stitch:
This, now should be the only spot that you will have to hand stitch closed. *Refer back to step 8 paper.

Here is what they look like at this point ... not to bad this way even.

Step 9 paper:
Marking for the cord casing. Measure down 10 inches on the outer side of curtain ( the part that will lay next to the window casing) Next measure down 16 inches from the other side.

Step 9 fabric:
Marking for the cord casing. Measure down 10 inches on the outer side or curtain ( the part that will lay next to the window casing) Next measure down 16 inches from the other side. Now draw a mark from the 16 inch mark to the 10 inch mark and sew on line. Next figure how wide you want your cord casing, and sew the bottom seam. This is how the casing for the cording is formed. *Refer to cord casing in step 10.

Step 10 Cording:
This is the cording I used about 1/4 inch round.

Step 10 cord casing:
Sew bottom of casing, making sure it will fit the coring you have chosen. You may want to make your casing wider.

Step 11 thread cording into casing:
take a couple stitches from the cord casing ends so the coring can be inserted. Attach a small safety pin onto the cording, Now slide it, on the inside end of cord casing, and pull it out through the other end.

Step 12 Secure cording:
Once you have the cording from end to end you will want to secure it on the inside edge of the panel ... I took a small amount of glue and then stitched back and forth over the cord a few time to secure it. On the other end I just tied a knot and let it hang about 4 inches ... that way I could adjust it as I need.

Finished Prairie Curtains!
Okay ... before you think " what the heck" Yes that is my kitchen and yes it is just in drywall ... but, I hope it will be finished by spring ... So, I know the photo looks rough! Anyway, I have 3 more sets of these to make ... but, I want them to be ready when my kitchen is. And then 4 set of the valances below ... And that is just my kitchen. Total windows in kitchen 8!

I also made the valances ... but everyone knows how to do these.

I hope you all enjoyed this tut, and again if you have any questions, please ask. You can e mail me at the top of the page under contact. Enjoy, and have a great day and happy decorating!

Added February 7, 2012
Hi all,
I have had several request to have a tutorial on the matching valances, If that is something you would like to have me do, please e mail me or leave a commemt. If I have enough interest in it, I will do a tut on that.

WSF