The Return Of The Easter Bonnet

 

image courtesy abc7_ny

Adorning one’s head with a hat of flowers, fabric, and fantastical additions in celebration of Easter has been the culture and pride of many New Yorkers as far back as I can remember.  And now after a 2-year pandemic hiatus, the tradition of showcasing the artistry and creativity of the Easter bonnet has made its come back

D.I.Y Singing Bell Craft Project

 



Throughout various cultures around the world, bells have historically held a multitude of meaning and purpose. Bells symbolize beginnings and endings. They are rung at weddings, funerals, during meditation and to raise our vibrations. Bells warn us and call our attention. They commence fights and finish them, and alert us of livestock movement. Bells inform us of guests and signal the readiness of palate pleasing nourishment. Simple soundful metal craft for some, sacred singing bell for others, these handcrafted creations have served communities for thousands of years.

DIY Cocktail Canopy from J&O Fabrics

J&O DIY Cocktail Canopy: Floral Deco

For the J&O/ Summerdale Mills family, summer just isn’t summer without backyard BBQ’s, picnics, taking in seemingly endless sunsets in an outdoor living space of our very own, or simply sitting pretty by the seashore.  But beyond the idea and aesthetics of it all, there is the nitty-gritty of uninvited guests to contend with that certainly can have a way of spoiling the fun. You know those party-crashers I’m speaking of. The eight-legged, winged and just plain annoying creepy crawlies seduced by the sights, sounds and scents of it all. We can’t blame them for wanting to get a taste of the good life I know, but we can make our presence in their domain more comfortable.

DIY Knickers


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With my skill set primarily in drapery, one of the more intimidating projects I have yet to undertake is the making of knickers. Not the kind that can be mistaken for mens’ underwear because of their boxy, boyish cut, but truly form-fitting, feminine lingerie that make a woman look and FEEL sexy! I’m not sure which of my concerns surrounding such a seemingly simple feat is stronger…getting the cut just right or properly manipulating the stretchy knits required in the way needed to keep them from sagging. But with several ultra-feminine silk and floral poly rems to play with, this DiY video courtesy of Delia and Erika at Flo-Jo Boutique in Bristol, was just the inspiration I needed to boost my courage up a notch and at least try my hand at a pair or two.

J&O Crafty Customer: Jenny’s Angels

jandofabrics, jenny's angels

As our Facebook Fan page continues to grow, more and more of our crafty customers are showing off  their cool creations for our J&O family and community to view, share and comment on. One such fan is Karen Jordan of Jenny’s Angels, a line of custom made aprons and christening outfits designed in honor of Karen’s best friend Jenny who passed awaiting a kidney transplant. For Karen, all babies are angels, and since her line is named for Jen, a portion of every design sold is donated to the American Diabetes Foundation in her name . Jenny also loved butterflies, so on all of Karen’s custom christening gown designs there is a butterfly somewhere. Since Karen is a religious follower of our J&O Fabrics  acebook page, she is constantly replenishing her fabric stock with cool prints from our store and has this to say about our fabulous collection of Michael Miller prints and more…

Top Summer Wedding Color Trends 2014

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With June still reining as one of the most popular months for marriage ceremonies despite February’s National Wedding Month ownership, color and fabric trends for 2014 are the main question inquiring minds want to know as the month unfolds. According to Pantone and several leading wedding planners around the country, the top 5 colors  for 2014 are mint, dark blue, pink, black, and emerald with mint taking center stage. From bold shades to lighter hues, the summer bridal palate offers its own statement against the traditional white of the bride and black tux of the groom.

J&O Crafty Customer: Roxanne Ojeda of Retro Roxy

roxy-retros, jandofabrics

Over a week ago we put out a call to our Facebook family to send us pics of their most creative Valentine’s Day crafts, but to much of our surprise, Cupid’s arrow didn’t seem to strike the hearts of many, and so our campaign narrowed down to ONE.

Roxanne Ojeda of Retro Roxy submitted one of her Valentines themed retro styled pin up girl aprons designed with eXtra special dinner plans in mind. Flouncy skirts and ruffled fold down smock  in assorted complimentary prints and color palate make her creations uniquely distinguishable among the rest. When not making custom aprons and specialty crafts for admirers, her smoke-free, pet-free, pattern-free environment sets the backdrop for a lot of quirky, retro styled creations to flow thru in a very organic way.

Fabric Takeout Utensil Holder

This easy fabric utensil holder is a cute idea for storing bamboo cutlery on-the-go! For those of you who dine out frequently, lunch breaks can be hectic. This is a good way to avoid forgetting to grab a plastic spoon on the run and also perhaps some germs. Just find your favorite fabric from our vast inventory of decorative styles and make your own version today, your colleagues will be intrigued!

fabric utensil holder

Never end up without utensils again—cute fabric cutlery holder stores easily in handbag

You will need:

  • Coordinating fabrics (2 styles. Think polka dots and stripes, etc.)

Winter Fabric Wreath Ideas and Inspirations

So did it make you cringe to see the word ‘Winter’ in the headline? Fear not—these fabric winter wreath ideas will take a bit off the chill off and add some warmth to your home! This year, I am loving the ice blue– it is a bold and bright hue in an otherwise drab time of year! It is important to surround yourself with bright colors during the long grey months of winter, find your favorite color combinations in our online fabric store and get started on your winter wreath this instant! (After you make a mammoth mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows, that is!).

J&O Fabrics Announces Winner of ‘Most Creative Handcrafted Halloween Costume Contest’!

What a selection of creative costumes our facebook fans have had the pleasure of viewing and judging these last two weeks! Over a month ago we started with sixteen Halloween costume entries that made it into the 3rd Annual J&O Fabrics ‘ Most Creative Handcrafted Halloween Costume Contest ‘ voting bracket, and after all was send and done, we ended with four. Check them out below!

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1st Place Winner: Dorthy Lafferty's Fox