With pumpkin season almost upon us, it’s time to start crafting. Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes… but my favourite ones are a tad shabby and of course, are the homemade variety. Today I am sharing how to make this sweet little pumpkin trio, but I warn you… these shabby little gems are the perfect size to tuck into Autumn vignettes, so you’ll want to make more the three! Seasonally…. I’m a little confused, because I live between two worlds and multiple seasons! As most of you know, I live in Australia, but what many people don’t realize is
Hello creative friends, There are so many wonderful vintage era’s to draw inspiration from and this month in the Handmade Club I embraced an era that is very close to my own heart… the iconic 50’s & 60’s. Although I was a child of the 60’s, I’ve always dreamed of being a fashion savvy young lady of the late 1950’s, with the choice of beautiful full skirts and layers of netted petticoats, through to the silhouette of slim fitting pencil or wiggle skirts….. add in gloves, hats, handbags and of course, red lippy. What an era! But the 50’s weren't
Let me introduce you to Blossom… She’s a Maileg Rabbit doppelganger…. sort of ‘same, same but different’. While Blossom looks like one of those adorable Scandinavian Maileg Rabbits, she is actually a homemade version, but I think she is still pretty cute! At 22 inches tall, Blossom is the perfect size to incorporate into your cottage styling. I shared a full sized pattern and tutorial on how to make Blossom in this post. Today I’m sharing the pattern and tutorial for how I made the dress she is wearing. It’s just a basic dress with easy instructions, but once
Hi creative friends, Halloween is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate this spooktacular season than with some cute and shabby Halloween themed paper crafts? Today I'm sharing a new 'Shabby Halloween' Mini Digital Kit, a delightful collection of 12 fussy cuts and two sweet and spooky papers that will add a touch of shabbiliciousness to your Halloween projects. Best of all, it's completely free! Just click to download the PDF file, and let your creativity run wild. Please note, this post contains affiliate links. A Mini Kit Full of Possibilities My 'Shabby Halloween' Mini
Hi creative friends, I'm delighted to share this week's inspiring projects from our talented design team members, Sandra of Atelier Vintage Rose and Elisa of Elisa's Creations. They've been busy crafting up a storm, and I can't wait to show you what they've created! Sandra – Atelier Vintage Rose This week, Sandra took full advantage of her vacation time and spent time crafting with the new Etsy kit, Autumn Rose Hedgies. Her creativity was flowing, and she's made a delightful array of projects that perfectly showcase the charm of my sweet hedgies. Sandra's creations include: - Tag Box Carriers: Perfect
Here at Shabby Art Boutique, I've been providing crafters withcreative projects and printables for over 17 years.Please feel free to use any of my 480+ tutorials and printableprojects..... I promise you, they are all quick and easy. Printables & PapercraftSewing & Fabric Crafts Home Decor & DIYFall Crafts & PrintablesSimply ChristmasEaster Recipes
What would Christmas be without adorable Christmas Pixies? The folklore of pixies dates back to some time in the 1800’s, but more recently, Danish artist Dorthe Mailil has created her line of whimsical pixies dressed in red and grey for her toy brand Maileg. Although Maileg designs are sold in many countries around the world now, it is still difficult to get them here in Australia, so I’ve been lusting after them for years. If I can’t have the real thing, then I’m happy to have a similar version inspired by the Maileg Pixies. These little cuties stand
I had a request this week from Sue, to help her find the blog post for the shabby chic button cards she had seen in a post from 2014. I knew straight away which cards she was referring to, but also remembered that they were included in some photos of crafty projects over the years, but I had actually never got around to sharing a printable. These sweet little cards measure 7 cm x 10 cm (2.75” x 3.93”), so are a great size to include in a greeting card or to dress up the top of a
The humble crochet doily has come out of moth balls and made its way from ornamental mat to a multitude of modern day uses…. Many of which would probably shock our grandmothers!! If like me, you are shabby at heart and would gladly spend a thrifting day scouring through linen bins looking for pretty doilies, you’ll love these beautiful crafting projects I’ve gathered for you. Simply click on the link to view the tutorial for each of the 10 vintage doily craft projects. Rustic farmhouse style dream catcher from Making it to the Mountains DIY vintage 3
Hi creative friends, I'm delighted to share this week's inspiring projects from our talented design team members, Sandra of Atelier Vintage Rose and Elisa of Elisa's Creations. They've been busy crafting up a storm, and I can't wait to show you what they've created! Sandra – Atelier Vintage Rose This week, Sandra took full advantage of her vacation time and spent time crafting with the new Etsy kit, Autumn Rose Hedgies. Her creativity was flowing, and she's made a delightful array of projects that perfectly showcase the charm of my sweet hedgies. Sandra's creations include: - Tag Box Carriers: Perfect
Hi creative friends, Halloween is just around the corner, and I've got a spookalicious treat for you! I've designed a free printable Halloween Words sheet perfect for adding a shabby touch to your spooky crafts. Whether you're making cards, decorating your journal or planner, or crafting up some Halloween magic, these words are sure to inspire! This printable sheet includes over 40 Halloween-themed words in a charming pink and black color palette, perfect for your shabby crafting projects. To make things even more versatile, I've provided the words in two different font sizes, so you can pick the size that
Let me introduce you to Blossom… She’s a Maileg Rabbit doppelganger…. sort of ‘same, same but different’. While Blossom looks like one of those adorable Scandinavian Maileg Rabbits, she is actually a homemade version, but I think she is still pretty cute! At 22 inches tall, Blossom is the perfect size to incorporate into your cottage styling. I shared a full sized pattern and tutorial on how to make Blossom in this post. Today I’m sharing the pattern and tutorial for how I made the dress she is wearing. It’s just a basic dress with easy instructions, but once
Hi there friends, I’m popping in today with a super quick diy… honestly, this craft project will take you less than a 1/2 hour to complete. What’s more, it’s made with teeny weeny fabric scraps and things you probably already have in your craft room, so if you need a quick handmade gift idea… this is it! Many of us still read real, turn-the-page books and therefore need bookmarks. I made these pretty shabby cottage style bookmarks with left over fabric scraps. For these ones I used scraps from my Tanya Whelan Rosey fabrics in pink, aqua and mint
Thank you for the lovely response to last weeks DIY project, the village shops. I’m thrilled that so many of you have chosen to make them and please know, I’m always here to answer any questions or painting technique queries by email. Last week I gave the instructions for making part 1 – the quilt shop. Today in part 2 you’ll find the instructions for the antique shop and a pink terrace house. All the materials and techniques used are given on part 1 – HERE Antique Shop Painting Instructions Ensure all edges of timber have been sanded smooth.
Hello ‘shabbilicious’ friends, Seeing as there are so many new friends hanging out here these days, I thought there would be a few crafters unfamiliar with some of the ‘freebies’ I have on offer here. I came across this one a few days ago when I was looking for an old pattern design on my computer. I first offered it back in 2011 and used it as a front cover for a pattern book. But the design could be adapted to suit many different projects. You can download this free pattern design from my website HERE.
There’s been a little mouse hanging around my craft room for quite some time…. But she’s the sweetest kind of mouse and not at all scary! Every time she pops up in my craft room photos I get requests for a pattern. It’s been my intention to create a ‘Little Mouse’ pattern to share with you for the longest time. I started late last year…. but she got put aside when Christmas rolled around. She popped up again a few weeks ago and I know a few of you were very hopeful when you spied her on my
Hi creative friends, It's the most wonderful time of the year, and at Shabby Art Boutique, my 14th Annual Simply Christmas event is in full swing. To make your holiday season even more special, I'm delighted to share my free printable 2024 calendar as my gift to you. 2024 Calendar As we eagerly approach the dawn of a new year, there's no better way to welcome 2024 than with a touch of elegance and a hint of floral magic. I'm thrilled to unveil my latest design.... the Free Printable 2024 Calendar, adorned with enchanting soft pink and blush roses and
Hi creative friends, One of the frequent questions I receive from readers of my blog is about fussy cutting; what tools do I use and how best to do it. Fussy cutting papers is not hard to do and with the right tools and technique, even people with arthritis in the hands can usually manage to fussy cut. So today I am sharing my top tips for fussy cutting digital elements. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my policy disclosure. My Top Tips for Fussy Cutting #1. Tools The best place to start is with the tools required to fussy
Hello friends, Today’s project is another in my collection of faux patchwork pieces. These projects have proven really popular and I get why… they are super easy, use basic sewing skills and are a fabulous way to use up fabric scraps. You told me you loved my pumpkin coasters for fall, so today I have a quick remake for Christmas pudding coasters…. aren’t they cute!! How to make faux patchwork Christmas pudding coasters Requirements: (Please wash all fabrics before use) An assortment of fabric scraps – I used 2 different designs per coaster. Visoflex (or any kind
With pumpkin season almost upon us, it’s time to start crafting. Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes… but my favourite ones are a tad shabby and of course, are the homemade variety. Today I am sharing how to make this sweet little pumpkin trio, but I warn you… these shabby little gems are the perfect size to tuck into Autumn vignettes, so you’ll want to make more the three! Seasonally…. I’m a little confused, because I live between two worlds and multiple seasons! As most of you know, I live in Australia, but what many people don’t realize is
Hello ‘shabbilicious’ friends! I’ve just returned from a trip away again and I’m relishing in the peace and quiet that precedes the school holidays. I know it won’t last, so this week I feel compelled to tick off as many of the items on my ‘To-Do’ list that I can. I feel so guilty that I’ve been less active here on my little blog this past couple of months, so I’ve been doing some housekeeping here today. The changes will continue all week, but I wanted to let you know that my Tutorials page has been updated and re-organised.
Hi there shabbilicious friends, Almost three years ago I released my first Blossom Bunny pattern. I had long admired the gorgeous Danish designs from Maileg and in particular, their rabbits. Unfortunately, they were hard to get in Australia, so I resorted to making a similar version of my own. While they are not exactly the same, they do still ooze that lovely simple Scandi style that I love. The large Blossom Bunnies have been quite popular and I’m always excited to see others using my free pattern to make their own. The first Blossom Bunny came with extra
Hello creative friends, Today in the craft room I’ve created a whimsical project using this sweet little paper doll. You may recognise her….. she’s been hanging around in my craft room for quite a few years as a tiny wooden doll, but I recently gave her a bit of an update and included her in the July Retro Shabby kit for the Handmade Club. She’s affectionately known as Betty Buttons in my craft room, because she was designed by Betty Campbell in 1933… making her a very vintage, 83 years old. Betty has had a few names over
I’ve always been a lover of handmade gifts… Whether that be something made by my children at school… Or an intricate item made by a crafty friend. It’s the love, time and thought that goes into those gifts that make them special. I’m a little more time challenged these days with two businesses to run, but I still allow some creative time to make a few special hand made gifts. They have to be quick… so covered diaries are perfect. Almost all adults need a diary of some sort, so what’s nicer than a pretty covered
Hi creative friends, Last week I released a new digital kit, Linen, Lace & Paper. This kit is multi faceted, so that you may use it for spring, Easter or general shabby crafting. The colour palette is deliciously sherbet in soft pinks, French blues and neutrals.... and it coordinates with many of my other shabby kits. Free Printable Mini Kit Today I am offering a free sampler Linen, Lace & Paper mini kit for you to download as well. If you’ve already purchased the Linen, Lace & Paper kit, then this is a little bonus add on with a
Hi creative friends, Earlier this week I added a new listing to my Etsy store, Simply Butterflies & Bees Fussy-cuts. It's a beautiful collection of shabby watercolour butterflies and bees in a variety of colours for you to use as fussy-cuts in your crafting projects. They are a perfect add on collection to use in conjunction with any of the Shabby Art Boutique digital kits. Simply Butterflies & Bees Fussy-cuts Kit The collection contains 46 different images, provided as both individual png graphics (zip files) and in a ready to print PDF file. The printable PDF file contains each
You know that I love making a handmade home. Not only is it fun to make your own products, but it is also reassuring these days to know exactly what ingredients have been used. Sooo…. following on from my tips for ‘self care’ that I shared last week, I thought today I’d share a recipe for the scented shower steamers I use when I need a little pampering. I’m sure you’ve probably seen many different recipes for shower discs, vaporisers, steamers etc on Pinterest. I know I have, but they are all slightly different. This is such an
Christmas is all about giving. And the most treasured gifts are the ones you make yourself. Soooo. . . how does quick and easy sound to you? It doesn’t get much quicker and easier than these adorable hanging hand towels. . . and the bonus is. . . you can whip up several in less than an hour! Requirements: (Makes 2 hanging hand towels) 1 hand towel or thick tea towel, 2 fat quarters in matching fabrics, Iron on medium weight interfacing, 2 large buttons, Velcro (optional), Sewing machine and normal sewing supplies. Download my pattern template HERE
For a long while now, I’ve been absolutely smitten with all things Scandinavian. My love of GreenGate and Tilda has filled my blog posts for many years now and I know that many of you love it all too. There’s another gorgeous Scandi item I’ve been coveting… the Maileg Rabbit. They are not readily available here in Australia and any items I could find from the beautiful Maileg collection where incredibly expensive…. so what’s a Scandi loving girl to do? Of course, I’ve resorted to making my own. I’ve seen a few handmade look-a-like versions online, but patterns
I’ve made a lot of craft projects over the years, but there are a few that remain absolute favourites. Back in 2012 I designed and made this vintage look needle book. I still use it every week in my studio. It appeals to me on many levels… it’s got a shabby, vintage time worn vibe, which I love. It is both functional and practical. I like having a page for every type of needle, so I can always find exactly what I need. It holds a lot, but is still small enough to be portable and
Thank you for the lovely response to last weeks DIY project, the village shops. I’m thrilled that so many of you have chosen to make them and please know, I’m always here to answer any questions or painting technique queries by email. Last week I gave the instructions for making part 1 – the quilt shop. Today in part 2 you’ll find the instructions for the antique shop and a pink terrace house. All the materials and techniques used are given on part 1 – HERE Antique Shop Painting Instructions Ensure all edges of timber have been sanded smooth.
Hi there shabbilicious friends, Almost three years ago I released my first Blossom Bunny pattern. I had long admired the gorgeous Danish designs from Maileg and in particular, their rabbits. Unfortunately, they were hard to get in Australia, so I resorted to making a similar version of my own. While they are not exactly the same, they do still ooze that lovely simple Scandi style that I love. The large Blossom Bunnies have been quite popular and I’m always excited to see others using my free pattern to make their own. The first Blossom Bunny came with extra
If you’ve been visiting for awhile, then you know that I offer quite a few free printables. I love being able to make my own DIY projects and it’s extra fun when I can share the printable graphics I make with you. Today I thought I’d do a re-cap of a few of my printables, which you are welcome to use for personal use. Unfortunately, I cannot resize any of these graphics for you… they are simply offered as they are. Most are contained on a PDF file, which will open in another window from the blog post they appear
Hello creative friends, Today I am sharing my top 3 tips for printing graphics at home. As a graphic designer, this is without doubt the topic I receive the most questions about and the good news is….. it’s actually very easy to achieve perfect printing at home with just a few basic tips. My Top 3 Tips Tip #1 – Use the Correct Paper Are you using the right paper for your project? Paper is more complex than you might think! I see a lot of paper crafters printing images on copy paper, however, copy paper is a
Fall is definitely on the lighter, pastel side in my home this year. I’m still crushing over my fabric pumpkin trio and while there are still a few Tilda fabric remnants left, I’ll keep making pretty things out of the scraps. Today’s addition were super easy, faux patchwork fabric coasters…. in a pumpkin shape of course! While they are deliciously gorgeous… it’s actually spring here right now, so it’s a little confusing to be surrounded by all this fall loveliness. But, I’ve really gotten into creating pretty shabby inspired fall accessories and art for my northern hemisphere readers, so I’m
As you know, I’ve long been a fan of all things Tilda. I think Tone Finnanger is an amazing and very inspiring designer and I have faithfully coveted every book she has written and every collection she has put out. Soooo…. today I’m a little nervous about my honest book review of her latest book, Sewing by Heart. Sewing by Heart is beautifully photographed and the instructions are well written. If you’ve been a Tilda follower from way back, you’ll know that some of the earlier books didn’t translate all that well into English, but because the designs were
I’ve totally embraced this soft blue-y/mauve colour palette for fall. It just so seamlessly blends in with my shabby, cottage decor and is an easy transition from summer pastels. Today I decided to make something practical and pretty…. new fabric fall coasters and they couldn’t be easier!! This is a perfect beginners project for those new to sewing or an easy to whip up one for seasoned sewers. These 6 fabric fall coasters took me less than 2 hours to make from start to finish. How to make fabric fall coasters Materials: A variety of cotton fabrics for top
Every village needs a set of quaint little shops… And this village has the sweetest trio of pastel coloured shops to complement your shabbilicious décor. They are NOT meant to be perfect; their charm lays in the free hand approach to painting… so throw away the rulers and set squares!! This project is meant to be fun. Although I have given you the measurements I chose to use, please feel free to adapt and personalize for your use. The colours are only a suggestion and really any brand of paint can be used for this project. The Village
Hi creative friends, Another week has passed, and our talented design team has been busy bringing forth a myriad of delightful projects to inspire your creative journey. Let's take a closer look at the wonderful creations from Nicola, Elisa, and Sandra: Nicola of My Shabby Craft Corner Nicola has graced us with three captivating projects this week that are sure to ignite your creativity. Firstly, she, alongside Diane Pfennig, hosted a delightful Facebook Live 'Craft with Me' session in our Craft Room private Facebook group. Together, they transformed recycled boxes into charming 3-dimensional suitcases reminiscent of the sewing suitcase featured
As beautiful and popular as journals are, they are not the only thing that can be made from my monthly Handmade Club kits. A question I often get asked is “what can you use the graphics for”… and really the answer is anything that you are inspired to create. Everything in the kit coordinates and fits a specific theme for the month, so you know that you can mix and match any of the items in the kit. The graphics are usually quite large, so that crafters can resize them to suit whatever they are creating. Mix in a set