How to Make a Photo Cushion

If you follow this blog, you may already have seen this photo cushion, but I thought it might be worth a tutorial (and it's a long time since I've done one!).  It makes a great personalised gift - you could use photos of pets, children or events (like weddings or birthdays).  It's a project you can make your own in lots of ways!

To make your own cushion (pillow), you'll need:

• about a metre of fabric (mine was from Wholeport) (a yard is plenty if you're imperial)
• some printable fabric from Crafty Computer Paper (it's a UK store - if you aren't in the UK, you may have somewhere closer you can buy this).  
• ribbon
• scraps of fabric 
• button
• scraps of fusible interfacing
• 46cm (18") cushion inner (pillow form) - mine was from The Range

You'll also need a computer and printer, and a photograph saved on your computer!

How to make your photo cushion:

First, print out your photo onto the printable fabric (you may be able to resize your photo in the print option, otherwise use an image manipulation program like GIMP, which is free to download).  The fabric is designed to run through a standard printer and has a backing you should only remove after printing.  Once printed, leave the ink to dry for about an hour.  After drying, iron the fabric to help seal the ink.

While it's drying, cut out the basic rectangles you'll need for your cushion:

• one square 60cm x 60cm (cushion front)
• two rectangles 60cm x 40cm (cushion backs)

Cut out the image leaving about 1cm of fabric around the edge of the image. Back the image with fusible interfacing and press to adhere.

 Fold the edges of the image under and press.  If your ribbon goes over the bottom of the image (as mine does) you don't need to press the bottom edge of the image.

Stitch the image in place slightly to the left of the centre of the fabric square (the cushion front).  Sew the ribbon straight across the cushion from one side to the other.

Cut out two heart shapes, one slightly larger than the other and back the largest one with interfacing.  Press to stick interfacing into place.

Stitch the hearts together and then position on the cushion front.  Stitch into place.

Sew a button in place on the heart.

Take the two rectangles for the back of the cushion and sew a hem on each one along one long edge. Press.  Place the cushion front (right side up) on a table and place the two backs (right sides down) overlapping, with the raw edges along the outer edges and the hems towards the middle of the cushion.  Pin together around all four raw edges.

Stitch around all four edges using a 1cm seam allowance.  Trim seams to neaten.  Turn and press.

Pin and sew all around all four edges, approx 5cm from the folded edge.

I added another row of stitching inside the first row because I wanted the cover to be a little tighter over the cushion inner.

Place the cushion inner inside your cushion cover and sit back and relax!

P.S. My cushion was a gift for my mum who's 87 - it's not always easy to buy for older people, and something personal often works well!  She adores the puppy in the picture - he's a guide dog puppy called Quentin (as you'll already know if you follow this blog!) and he's mine only until he's ready for his "proper" training at about 14 months.

And by the way, my mum loved the cushion!

Midweek Papercraft Party (39)

Welcome to another papercraft challenge.  From next week, we'll be hosting these challenges on a dedicated challenge blog - but I'll link from here so nobody gets lost!  I'll let you know more soon!

Before we get talking about this week, here are last week's winners:

Sarah and Eemeli

(I loved the heartwarming story that Sarah told about her card - the card itself is worthy of winning, but the story just clinched it! And Eemeli's card really made me smile!)

Sarah and Eemeli, you both win 3 digistamps of your choice from Handmade Harbour - please email your choices to me wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk and I'll send them to you as soon as I can.

This week's theme is sweet or sparkly!  You can interpret that any way you like... sweet could be cakes, sugary treats - or something cute and gorgeous.  And sparkles can come in any format!

Teresa used the pair of foxes stamp to make a super sweet card - I love this!

Josie used the Tea and Cake digi to cleverly create a cupcake keyring - definitely very sweet!

And look at what Elina made - she flipped the teddies hugging image to make this adorably sweet card!

I love Emma's card too -gorgeous use of colour! - this image is so new, it's not on the website yet, but I'm hoping to rectify that later today!  You'll find it on the new digital stamps page.

Last but not least, Frezja made a super sweet party card with the girls celebrating digistamp- with the words sweet time! 

Later in the week, there will be some information about our new challenge blog - do pop back to find out more!  In the meantime, if you'd like to join in this week and be in with  chance of winning three Handmade Harbour digital stamps of your choice, you know what to do...

An InLinkz Link-up

Handmade Monday 169

Hello! Welcome to Handmade Monday!

Usually, my post is split in two with handmade news and Guide Dog Puppy Quentin news... but this week handmade and Quentin have combined!

Yesterday was my mum's 87th birthday - a cause for celebration if ever there was one!  My mum adores Quentin, so I thought a present which had him in there somewhere might be a good idea!  And cushions are always a good idea!

And after making the cushion, I thought a matching card might be a good idea too!

The gorgeous swirly blue fabric was from Wholeport and the photo was printed onto washable cotton from Crafty Computer Paper (I've not tested how well it washes, I printed it using a bog-standard home inkjet printer, but it definitely prints well!).

Quentin himself clearly found the card irresistible - you just see his nose as he is trying to snaffle it for a chewing session here...

What's been happening in your world?  If you leave your link we can pop by and read all about it!

An InLinkz Link-up

A Public Thank You

I think it's about time I said a public thank you to all the fabulous ladies who make up the design team here at Handmade Harbour and who use my digital stamps to make some very inspiring creations.

 Image: Elina using thank you girl with flowers

Every week, they come up between them with an amazing and awe-inspiring batch of goodness and loveliness.  They each have a commitment to make something once a fortnight, but I know that occasionally life gets in the way.  We have house moves, babies, illness and all sorts going on - and occasionally that means they can't get much done in the way of crafts...

Image: Teresa using thankyou in pots

But when that happens, something amazing happens. Because some of those design team members having a week off  often step into the breach with a whole lot of lovely makes!

Image: Emma using thank you girl with flowers

I'm so grateful to each and every one of you on the design team.  Not just for the amazing way you interpret my images and transform them into something inspiring to others, which in itself is a much, much bigger thing than you can ever imagine...but also for the way you step up to the mark, sometimes at very short notice, with your bundles of gorgeousness!!

Image: Elina using girl with thank you note

You can check out the design team on the dedicated design team page.  Each one of the designers has a blog of her own, and each blog is well worth reading - you'll find links to all of them.

And, designers, thank you so much for all your hard work, skill and loveliness!  You really are appreciated!

And the images used in this blog post are all yours - thank you so much!

Midweek Papercraft Party (38)

Welcome to this week's challenge.  Our theme is smile or laugh!

Last week's winners are:

Chrissy and Chris 

Well done!  You both win three digital stamps of your choice from the Handmade Harbour store.  Please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choices and I'll email them to you as soon as I can.

Moving onto this week,  we have are some gorgeous cards - and more - to show you!

Teresa used two digital stamps to make this card - the vintage camera and girl with bunting.  I love what you did here Teresa!

Rachel  made a really pretty card from the sixty is the new digital stamp.  Forgetful friends with episodes of senior moments?  At least you can both laugh about it with this image on a sixtieth birthday card!

Josie came up trumps again with another delightful and beautifully-made raw edge applique design using digital stamps for the image - this time she used a Christmassy digital stamp and discarded the seasonal elements!  I love how easy that is with digital stamps.  The result is this super pretty heart with a little owl, which would make a gorgeous gift.

Elina made a super sweet thank you card for her child's teacher.  I love this card Elina! The colours work beautifully. The image Elina used is girl with thank you note.

Last but not least, I'm editing this post to add Emma's adorable card... such gorgeous use of colour in this one too.  It certainly fits the smile theme - you couldn't help but smile if you received this card!

So, what have you made that might make someone smile or laugh?  We'd love to visit you and have a look, so please leave your blog link to join in.  Each week we choose two winners to each receive three digital stamps as their prize - a great way of starting or building up your digital stash!

An InLinkz Link-up

Handmade Monday 168

Welcome to Handmade Monday!

What fabulous weather we are having in the UK at the moment!  Yesterday, we took my elderly parents for a picnic in the grounds of their retirement apartment (probably the only public place that wouldn't be so crowded we could be sure of finding a bench!) and we actually needed sun cream!  Definitely a first for 2014!

The June issue of Sewing World arrived on my doorstep the other day, with my heart-shaped scissor keeper in (you can see a tiny picture of it on the front cover, if you look closely at the bottom left corner).

This project first appeared on my blog (it's actually my all-time most popular post) but I made an updated version for Sewing World...

I love the print fabric from Wholeport on the Sewing World version (follow the link if you'd like to buy it!).  I used a pair of old jeans for the black fabric which backs it.

For Craftseller I've been making more cards with their free papers.  These papers are very kind of fourth of July in their inspiration - they'll be given away with issue 39.

Also for Craftseller, there was a really quick make using vintage sheet music...

Quentin news...

One of the things I've been doing with Quentin for a few weeks now is whistle feeding, where he waits for his food until I blow a whistle - it's something all guide dog puppies do.  It sounds a bit crazy, until you know the reasoning behind it...

The whistle will be used to call him back when he's free running (off the lead) in a park or open ground.  Even working dogs need some playtime, but if you are blind you need to be really confident your guide dog will come back to you!  So the whistle is strongly linked to food quite early on - hopefully ensuring the dog will return!

We've tried the whistle when he's in the garden, and the first time was quite comical.  My son was playing tug and chase with him and when the whistle sounded Quentin immediately froze, looking quite startled.  He then ran as fast as his little legs would carry him for his food (which I had prepared in secret, while they were out walking - he can hear his food cupboard door from the bottom of the garden!).

The next stage will be recalling him with the whistle when he's off the lead in a park.  This has to be done under supervision the first time - which will be in a couple of weeks.  In the meantime, he stays on the lead for walks, but is allowed pretty much everywhere now, since his vaccinations.

The walks are as good for me as for him - exercise is one of those things I never get enough of!  I'm also discovering new areas in my neighbourhood - parks, woodland, streams and farm paths within easy reach of my front door.  Although sometimes it clearly gets exhausting and a random lie down is needed...

What's new in your world?  Feel free to share it with us for Handmade Monday...

An InLinkz Link-up

Midweek Papercraft Party (37)

Welcome to this week's papercraft challenge!  Our theme is having fun - and I think the design team have had fun while creating the having fun projects! It certainly looks that way - they've come up with some fabulous creations!

Before we move onto having fun, here are the winners from last week:

Leona and Monica

Well done! You both win three digital stamps of your choice from the Handmade Harbour store.  Please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choices and I'll get them to you as soon as I can.

Back to this week...

I love seeing how different people interpret the themes each week.  Teresa made this gorgeous card with toddler Emily feeding the chickens digi.  This image is based on a real-life Emily, who loves feeding my chickens - this definitely fits the having fun theme for me!

One of the great things about digis is how you can alter the image - and here, Teresa created a whole brood of extra chickens!

Josie used the butterflies and hearts stamp to create a gorgeous linen pouch with applique butterflies - definitely brings to mind summer fun!

Emma used the girls celebrating stamp to make this gorgously girly card - and these girls definitely look like they're having fun, don't you think?

So much fun that Elina used the same girls on her card.  Elina created the background with Tim Holtz faded jeans distress ink and added drops of water - really effective and gives the impression of flashing lights in the background.   I love it!

Frezja made a journal page with the pair of foxes stamp - I love how she dressed this pair and added the wording fur can be elegant.  It certainly can - on foxes, it's definitely elegant.  They may cause a nuisance at times but they are beautiful creatures.

Are you inspired?  Have you been having fun with cardmaking, stamping or papercrafting?  If you think it fits the having fun theme (perhaps you had fun making it!) please feel free to join us this week!

An InLinkz Link-up

Handmade Monday 167

Hello - welcome to another Handmade Monday!

This week I've had my sewing machine out, busily stitching for Sewing World magazine.

I can't show you too much yet - but it has something in common with the bag I made for my sister a little while back...

Quentin News...
Well, people keep telling me how much my (no, no, I should not think of him as mine!!) gorgeous little guide dog puppy Quentin has grown, and it's clear he's getting bigger (he tries to squeeze under the coffee table and seems to surprise even himself how big he  now is!).  I ordered his second batch of food this week, and got to compare pictures of him next to the food!  This was Quentin at eight weeks...

and here he is at sixteen weeks...

It was also interesting to compare his behaviour each time.  The first time it was just pure luck that I got him to sit still for a photo.  The second time I had complete confidence that he would sit and wait at least long enough for a photo!  I think he knew what was in the bag though - he was very interested in it and gave it a good sniff!

If you use Facebook, don't forget we now have a Facebook group for Handmade Harbour - you can share your own makes as well as get news and updates about the Handmade Harbour shop (digital stamps, party printables and sewing patterns).

It's time for Handmade Monday now and it's over to you...

An InLinkz Link-up

Midweek Papercraft Party (36)

Welcome to another papercraft challenge!

This week's theme is cute.  Before we have a look at the design team's work, our winners from last week are:

Carol and Suze

who both win three digistamps of their choice from the Handmade Harbour shop.  Carol and Suze, please email wendy@handmadeharbour.co.uk with your choices.

With the cute theme, we of course have animals for you!

Aleksandra made this gorgeous card using the cute bunny with flowers digi - it makes for a very sweet and cute card!

And Lynne made a gorgeous card using the cat in windowbox digi.  I adore the colours in this one, and the treatment those shutters got!  The shine on those tulips really sets them off too...shame the cat saw them as a sleeping opportunity!

And Rachel chose the dog waiting at window for her cute card - I love how dogs will wait like this for their owner to come home, although it breaks my heart if I go out and my guide dog puppy sits and watches me go.  He's such a good little pup!  It will totally break my heart when he has to go back to the guide dog training school for his next stage training!

I definitely think animals lend themselves to the cute theme - but as usual please feel free to interpret the theme in whatever way suits you.  Every week you have the chance to win three digistamps of your choice from the Handmade Harbour shop - a fabulous chance to build up your collection.  If you'd like to join in, it's easy - just leave a link to your blog post by clicking the link button...

An InLinkz Link-up

Handmade Monday 166

Welcome to Handmade Monday!

Well, the fox clock I showed you a peek of a while back is in the latest Craftseller magazine (issue 37, in the shops 8th May) - I love the colours in this one.  It's always good to see a project professionally photographed, too.

And in the same issue are a couple of my cards, made with their free papers - very summery!

And in Quentin news...

not sure why he was licking his lips, but I love the picture!

Guide dog puppy Quentin is still doing well, although the puppy classes we go to are a bit of a wake up call for me - the perfect sit, wait, and down he does at home all become much less perfect when he's surrounded by other puppies and in a strange environment!  Still, it's all good practice!

stuffing falling out of bought toys

I've realised the toys I've bought for him are generally much less robust than the toys I've made for him, so with that in mind I'm planning to make a few more!

The first ones I made were put together in a matter of minutes from old jeans - the one in the picture above is his favourite, which is just two denim plaits joined to a square of denim in the middle.  Really simple, but he loves it - it's great for tugging, running around, chasing and just chewing.  And it's more robust than any of the rope tug toys I've bought.

So there will definitely be more of the handmade toys to come.  I need to put together some patterns and tutorials, too, I think.

Handmade Harbour's Facebook Group

If you've not already visited the blog this week, you'll have missed the news that Handmade Harbour now has a Facebook group - click the link to visit and join.  It's a space for you to share your own makes, as well as get news about Handmade Harbour's digital stamps and sewing patterns.  A big thank you to Martha for kindly setting up the page for us!

Over to you now for Handmade Monday!

An InLinkz Link-up