What's up?

I know I've been totally MIA for a while now, and I'm sorry for it. I haven't blogged in ages, I hardly ever get on Facebook and my Tweets are far and few between. So what is the deal you ask? Well let me tell you...

Life!! Life can really get in the way, can't it? We've had a really hard summer, one of our kids has had a rough patch and it's been hard and all consuming on the whole family. I guess you can say that we circled up the wagons. Add in a killer summer sale season and all prepping for the two Country Living Fair I've been barely getting through the day!

I'd like to say that I have a time to breath now but that would be a lie. This fall my kids started middle and high school. WHAT? How the heck did that happen? Yes, we are still homeschooling. I'm still crazy!! My daughter is taking most of her course work at a great place called Athenian Academy of Richmond. I am so thankful for these classes, having a homeschool "school" is a life saver. As for my son, I am fighting the urge to keep unschooling him. He wants (needs) more book work and more structure -- I just don't do that well. Between us, I really am looking forward to him working more independently -- and soon!

We killed it a Country Living Fair, I mean killed it and it almost killed me. (See tomorrows post) I am truly honored to have had record sales at last weeks show. We sold it all, all the loot for the Ohio show and all the loot for the Atlanta show. Now we are in full production mode to get enough loot for the next fair. When I tell you we sold tons of goodies I really mean it!! For example, we sold 52 small snack bags!! 52!!! We came back with ONE left!! One?! Wow!!

The Modern June shop is cranking out the custom tablecloths and Oilcloth Addict is on fire! No rest for the wicked!! I am so thankful for my merry band of Junies!! More all of these crazy and wonderful people on Monday!!

Don't worry, I won't be bored anytime soon, I get to start working on my second book this weekend. I can't say for than that, so don't ask, I won't tell!! ; p

Happy and exceptionally honored to be a very busy Junie!!

xoxox,
Kelly

Show and Tell: Tablecloth trick gets center stage

 

How darn cute is this kitchen?! You may remember it from Elyse's oilcloth covered kitchen tablecloth from our first Show and Tell features. Well now you can see her practically pretty table and more of her lovely home in this months Fresh Cottage magazine. I can't wait to hit Barnes and Noble today to pick up my copy.  

She transformed her table with the red polka dot oilcloth in about 15 minutes with nothing more than a pair of scissor and a staple gun. Actually, she just uses blue painters tape. What really surprised me is that she feeds two boys at this table and painters tape kept the oilcloth in place for about a year. Totally cool!

Elyse is a "stay-at-home mom, writer, communications consultant, tinkerer, blogger and online shop owner." Check out the Tinkered Treasured blog and shop.

Elyse's done it again, this time she's got a bit bolder with the dots on red print. The sign intertwined on the fence says it all! LOVE!

Show and Tell!

I am missing my Oilcloth Alfresco Series! I really wish I had the time to do a few more projects for you but my other business, Modern June, is needing a lot of my attention these days.

So, in the mean time check this out... I am really enjoying the Patio Party Series at Janome Sew 4 Home site. If I had the time I would make this tablecloth and these seat cushions in oilcloth!

I will get to these fun projects in good time but for now it's up to you so get sewing for me!

Let's start something new, Oilcloth Addicts Show and Tell! Show us your projects and get a coupon for 10% off you next Oilcloth Addict order. No need for a tutorial, just show us something fun that you are working on! Send me a few good pictures of your project to Kelly@modernjune.com and I will post them here on the blog along with a link to your blog.

Papel Picado's Tutorial for Cinco de Mayo

I have always been drawn to the Mexican Culture, maybe it was those trips to Tijuana as a 
child and teen. The market's were exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I will never 
forget the face of the little boy singing for money or the Mamma slinging her babies. What an impact those images have had on me. It's very cool that I started Modern June out by 
selling oilcloth totes in a local farmers market.

So, in celebration on Cinco de Mayo, I have a very simple project for you! We're going to make Papel Picado's out of oilcloth. This is a fun and easy project that you and the kids can do together. Even the self-proclaimed "I'm not crafty" peeps can get in on this action.

First a little history... 

Colors schemes selected for papel picado are frequently linked with specific festivities. Sky blue or pink and white are commonly chosen for celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary, yellow and white for patron saints. Vibrant pink, orange and purple are the key tones employed for ofrendas (offerings) associated with the Day of the Dead. Shades of purple are also widely used at Easter. The colors of the Mexican flag--red, white and green--are set aside for venerating the nation's patroness, La Virgen de Guadalupe, as well as for commemorating Independence Day, September 16. Rainbow hues are appropriate for Christmas and non-religious festivities.

Let's get started...

What you need:

• lace oilcloth
• cutting board
• rotary cutting blade or pinking shears
• hole punch and/or leather punch 
• exacto knife 
• foil (used to sharpen the hole punch)
• Gnome (optional) 

1) Cut your flag to 12" by 17" with a scalloped rotary cutter blade or use pinking shears for a fun edge.

2) Start by working on one half of the flag and then use one of the following cutting methods to start your design. Find an interesting  place in the lace print to start cutting, I focused on the cutting out the white and leaving the red design.

use a blade 

use a hole punch

use a pair of snips

3) Once you have a good start on the first side you want to fold it in half so you can match up your cut outs. You want to end up with a mirror image.

4) Now start to cut out the other half. This is a bit tricky, the print is not always a exact mirror image so you'll want to cut from the printed side of the oilcloth so you get into the white spaces. It's a bit back and forth at this time, fold find the cut out and then flip it open to find the print and then cut. Repeat until you are happy with your papel picado.

How fun is this?  It's very easy,  I do hope you will try this out. If you do please send me a link to your project so I can share it in our Show and Tell segments.

Whatever the occasion, papel picado invariably transmits the mirthful message: ¡Viva la Fiesta! ¡Viva Mexico!

Our first winner is...

Congrats #12!  Andi is our first winner!  A girl after my own heart, Andi is loving the Red Lace.  There are so many great holiday projects you can make with this pretty oilcloth!

How do we choose our winners?  Well, we had 29 comments so I asked my son to pick a number between 1 and 29.  It's not scientific or high tech but it is a lot of fun!

I can't thank you all enough for the wonderful comments, I look forward to more Monday Madness fun.  Come back and check out next weeks giveaway, I'll try and post it on Sunday.   And remember I want to see your oilcloth projects, send me a photo of your project and we will show it off in our our Show and Tell Feature!

Now go get crafty!

Round Up: Oilcloth Covered Tables

I spend a lot of time searching my own blog for information so I know you must get really frustrated. So in an attempt to fix this I am creating Project Round Ups for the top projects I've featured on my blog. There are Show and Tell, Great Idea,  Q and A, I spy Oilcloth features along with my own projects all corralled by subject.

I'll start with the oilcloth covered table's that I've featured.

Here's the lovely oilcloth cover table project from Farm Chicks book, Farm Chicks in the Kitchen. You can find the How To here.  Serena used a heavy duty hand held stapler to attach the oilcloth to the table, much like I covered this bench.

Elyse's oilcloth covered kitchen tablecloth is applied to the table with painters tape. She's a mom with two active boys and this technique lasted two years, when she switched from red polka dotted to white dots on red. Elyse also has a very lovely Etsy shop called Tinkered Treasures  

Elyse's oilcloth covered kitchen tablecloth and her lovely home are  were featured in Fresh Cottage magazine.  

 Elyse's done it again, this time she's got a bit bolder with the dots on red print.

 This one comes from a fellow homeschooling mom, Jessica has saved an abused table by covering it with black and white gingham oilcloth.  How great is her at home school?

 I spied this oilcloth covered table on an episode of Top Chef!!!

Sandy, from 521 Lake Street, has done a great job making over a old thrift table into a wonderful craft table. And she used my favorite oilcloth print, I just love those perky cherries.

Oilcloth Addict on the road!!

I can't even tell you what it's like to cut fabric out in the open! Just ask my friends Trish, Lydia, Kirsten, Suzanne and Tiffin, they know all too well that's it's totally crazy and super fun. These 5 ladies cut up a ton of my slick fabric in Columbus and Atlanta.

I have to say that it's pretty hard when it's freezing cold in the morning and your hands don't work and the oilcloth is hard. But the crowd is totally awesome and helping all those people as they go ga-ga over oilcloth, chalk cloth and laminated cotton is such fun!!!

I love that there is a show where Modern June meets Oilcloth Addict. That I can do that at the Country Living Fair is such an honor. I really do love what I do and I love sharing it with people that really get it. The CL readers rock my world!!!  

Barrels of love, love, love!!

Go, Kirsten, go!!

The team work was wonderful, Kirsten and Suzanne work their tushes off in Atlanta!!

How cute are these girls? I love the look that Trish is giving me it's all, "What are you doing over there?"

Laminated Love!

 The Country Living Fair in Columbus cutting table was located under the prettiest tree in the park!!!

Lydia swore she cut 50 yards of oilcloth on Friday alone. That girl can work her tail off and look super cute while doing it.

 The best thing about having a cutting table at a show is having a place to do demos.

Show and Tell: Oilcloth Backsplash

How darn cute is this sweet kitchen? Sarah and her hubby made this sweet play kitchen for there daughters 2nd birthday and used oilcloth for the back splash! I am in love and I am sure that Ruby is too!!

Check out Sarahs blog  Mila +! Cuatro and her cute shop too!

Gotta project that you want to share? Email me at Kelly@modernjune.com I'll be glad to share it.

Show and Tell: One yard wonder!

Look what Amanda did with one yard of oilcloth!!! She used the pink forever oilcloth and transformed the chairs that she bought for just $1 each. She spray painted them and cut new boards for the seats and then covered with oilcloth. 

Then she used the remaining fabric to create two oilcloth pillows. She did all this with just one yard, I say that's a brilliant way to spend $8.00!

Happy Summer!

Show and Tell, a sprused up porch

One of my super sweet Junies (what I lovingly call my Modern June workers) spruced up her front porch with a bit of the Green Apple oilcloth and a can of white spray paint! April lives near the best fireworks in Richmond, so she wanted the porch to look great for her annual 4th of July party. With a simple staple gun and a yard or two of oilcloth she covered three of her pretty vintage chairs. This totally amazing woman can do it all... parties, home dec and working part time for me, that's amazing since she has 3 super cute kids under the age of four! Did I mention that on is only 8 months old?

Learn how to cover a simple seat at Prudent Baby!

Happy summer sprucing up to you all!

show and tell - oilcloth covered school table

Well, I guess that it's oilcloth covered table week here at Oilcloth Addict week!  That's a good thing, a very good thing. This one comes from a fellow homeschooling mom, Jessica has saved an abused table by covering it with black and white gingham oilcloth.  How great is her at home school?  I want a room for all that learning and school loot!!

Show and Tell - Smashed Peas and Carrots

Maggie from Smashed Peas and Carrots has been going to town since she received her Oilcloth Addict order.  Here are three photos of her very crafty sewing tutorials!  Maggie's one super crafty Mamma!

This Table Cover is a great use of chalk cloth!

Another super lunch bag in blue gingham oilcloth, I love the velcro! 

This oilcloth placemat has a surprise on the back!  

Show and Tell: Charm Pack Fun

Diane Muldoon from O'Quilts whipped up this fun pouch the other day with just a few of her oilcloth charm pack bits.

I love the clear vinyl back, you get the pretty and even more practical when you get to see the bags contents. This is great for crafting on the go or storage.

See how Diane did it here: O'quilts!

Do you have a project to share? Just email me at Kelly@modernjune.com

Q & A: How thick is oilcloth?

Have you ever wondered how thick oilcloth is? Well, recently a customer asked me to show her just that. Here's a little show and tell, it's thinner than a dime!

Show and Tell - oilcloth covered table

How cute is Cottage's oilcloth covered table covered in red polka dotted oilcloth?  You have got to head on over there and check out her lovely blog, it's total eye candy!  Elyse also has a very lovely Etsy shop called Tinkered Treasures  

Show and Tell - Sugarpacs Diaper Bag

All the other new mommies with be so jealous when they see Colleen's, from Sugarpac, new diaper bag!

I love the Black Paradise Lace with the plum, genius and gorgeous!