Meet our Let's Create Live Host: Pattie Wilkinson

With only a few weeks away to our Let's Create Live event, we plan on bringing you fun tidbits, interviews, and details about the live show!

First up, we wanted to introduce you to our beloved hostess with the mostest for the event...Pattie Wilkinson! Pattie is a lead designer and spokesperson here at iLoveToCreate and can churn out sketches and projects like it's no one's business! If you are a DIY/craft show fan, you may remember Pattie as a co-host on the TNN show, Aleene's Creative Living! So hosting is second nature for Pattie! Not only is Pattie a fab host and designer, she's worked all over the craft industry developing in-store merchandising, products, tools and more for major companies and retail chains.

You can peek into Pattie's crafty mind by some of these projects she's created!


We wanted to find out more about Pattie, so we asked her 5 fun questions! This crafty lady didn't disappoint!

1. Having been raised in rural Oklahoma, what were the kinds of crafts you made as a kid? Being a preacher’s kid, my mom was always coming up with Bible School and Church Bazaar projects for us to make. Did you do a lot of repurposing? We didn’t throw anything away! I could make anything from a makeup bag out of a bleach bottle and some fabric remnants, to a wreath out of egg cartons.

2. You’ve been the host of TV shows and many video demos, but not a lot of them have been live. Are you prepared for the unexpected at “Let’s Create Live”? There’s nothing like a LIVE show, as I’ve experienced many times on QVC and HSN where thousands of people are watching. The worst thing that ever happened to me was when the thread broke as I was demonstrating a quilting attachment and I had to rethread the sewing machine right then and there. I just kept talking and smiling!

3. In your many hosting experiences, do you have a most embarrassing moment? Please share it with us. We’re dying to know! Well, I’ve told this story before, but my friend Darsee and I were doing a live show at Universal Studios one time for the Home Show, and we thought it would be fun to blow eggs and decorate them for Easter. There we were with our big hair, dressed up all fancy, blowing eggs, AND not realizing how ridiculous we looked. Of course, being LIVE, we didn’t stop and watch play-back. But, imagine our bewilderment that night when we ended up on Talk Soup for everyone to laugh at!

4. Your motto is, “If I can’t glue it, I don’t do it!” What would you say is the biggest glue project you’ve ever tackled? Wow, that’s a hard question, since I’ve done lots of BIG things, like a room divider covered with fabric swatches, and a lazy boy with repurposed jeans glued over it entirely.

5. You recently moved to a new home, what kind of crafty remodeling projects are you looking forward to? There are dozens! But, I think my first project is to cover a ghastly mural on one wall that has white cranes and cattails on it… maybe a decoupage project? And I’ve got the local thrift store holding some huge chairs that I’m going to recover with Marimekko textiles. You’ll have to check my blog and facebook page to watch the progress. It’s going to be so much fun!

Pattie is a regular contributor to our blog and you can find many of her behind the scenes projects here. Also visit her web site at Pattiewack.com for crafty projects, books, videos and more!

You can also find Pattie in various videos on our Youtube page! She's always caught on the spot at her desk in impromptu videos!



Visit us on Facebook!
Craft on!Click here for today's daily giveaway!

Behind the Scenes Photo Shoot

One of the things that happens on a daily basis here at iLoveToCreate, are the photo shoots with models, products, and projects. Scott, our photography/videographer (and my hubby) set up a shoot for our December t-shirt of the month in the manufacturing/bottling facilities this week.

Our models were perfect with their houndstooth pattern t-shirts with gradient dye, up against the black drums. I designed the shirts and thought it would be great to have an edgy background for the shoot. I loved it!

After Megumi (one of the models) changed clothes, we discovered that in the storage area was a poster she had modeled for 6 years ago! She flipped out, and I couldn't wait to get a cute pic of her posing with the poster. Too funny!

As you can see in these pics, our plant is huge, and we have to wear protective glasses and closed toed shoes to walk around.

Check this out. It's one of the glue vats being mixed with a humungous mixer about the size of my little car.

We have tons of mannequins awaiting another trade show, and big drums of paint.

The bottling area was humming away, and there were rows of plaster waiting to become bisque pieces for our ceramics division of products.

I'm fascinated by the conveyor belts of bottles, and huge drums of paint and glue being pumped into spray bottles and squeeze bottles before it gets labels and shipped to the stores.

Alexa, aka Swell Designer, is pretty fascinated too, I might say.... heehee.

But alas, it's just another day behind the scenes at iLoveToCreate!

Sassy Tote Bag for the Sewing Expo Tour!

I'm flying to D.C. on Wednesday to the Sewing Expo for Hancock Fabrics to demonstrate The Tulip® Dye Techniques Kit™ and the Tulip® Cordless Heat Setting Tool™ with the Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™ combined to create a cute and sassy quilted tote bag and a mini quilt wall hanging.

The Sewing Expo is part of a national campaign to bring inspiration, motivation, education and personal satisfaction to everyone who enjoys sewing, quilt making, embroidery, embellishment and related needle arts. I can't believe I get to be a part of this amazing event.

So, to design the sassiest little bag with dyed fabric, I first have to grab my supplies at the iLoveToCreate design studio and dye my little heart out. I decided to create 3 of the 5 techniques in the kit for my projects.

Our house in Clovis has a darling patio out back with a ceiling fan, and it's just begging to have a little dye party, so I got the fan buzzing, and laid out my kit. I grabbed 2 kits, because I needed 12 yards of fabric for the tote, the quilt, and the demo swatches.

First step? I washed and dried all the 100% cotton fabric to take out the sizing and prepare it for the dye.

My steel sink is perfect for mixing the dyes. They're great because all I have to do is put on my gloves and then fill all the bottles with water (the dye is already in there) and shake.

Scott set up a table cover with plastic trash bags. Of course he used bungies to hold it down. I call him Bungy Man. (When I'm not calling him Zip-tie Man.)

I started with the shibori technique and since my project is so humongus, I taped the 2 tubes together that come in the kits.

Then I laid it under the fabric and scrunched it up. The shibori tube holds the fabric up so that you get that cool look, and keeps it from puddling. You'll see!

Now, the dying begins. I squirted it onto the fabric along the top of the tube. Then, I moved the tube over about 8 inches and repeated until I was at the end of the fabric.

Voila! I hung it on the clothesline and replaced the trash bag with a new one for the next color.

Woohoo, the brush technique was amazing. I simply poured my dye out of the bottle and into a disposable bowl, dipped my brush from the kit into the dye, and made crisscross strokes all the way across. Loved it.

After changing the trash bag on the table again, I was ready for the spray technique. This was soooo easy and fast. I made little hills and valleys with the fabric, then used the spray top from the kit to spray away.

I don't know what the neighbors think, but it sure gave them a colorful view while the dye set for 4 hours. Last step, wash and dry the fabric separately and then make my little tote bag.

I love how the cotton dyed fabric turned out and it feels good, not crunchy. I'll be posting the project at iLoveToCreate.com with all the instructions right away.

The crystals were uber easy to apply with the heating tool, and I think they added a little sparkle-farkle to the bag. Like I said, super fun, and a little bit sassy with the crystals and in bright, happy colors.

Come see me at the Sewing Expo in Chantilly, VA! I'll be there Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Hancock Fabrics booth. Look for the gal with the bright green tablecloth and the happy smile.... I'll show you how to dye fabrics for your quilting and sewing projects, and our cute little cordless heating tool for jazzin' up your projects.

See you there!
Pattiewack

Love that Fast Grab Tacky Spray!

Here's the solution to the rough shelves in your studio/craft space. Aleene's® Fast Grab Tacky Spray™!


I needed the rough MDF covered with something because it kept snagging the garments and projects I store in my project cabinet until they go to photography. I had tried just laying down the rubber shelf liner onto the shelves, but every time I shoved something in there, it got all sloppy and moved around.

Soooooo....here's the PERFECT solution.

1. Clean out the cabinet totally.
2. Cut the rubber shelf liner to size.
3. Lightly spray the Aleene's® Fast Grab Tacky Spray™ across the shelf.
4. Step back for 60 seconds.
5. Lay the rubber shelf liner in place and press with your fingers.
6. Repeat on the remaining shelves.
   

Voila! Happy shelves for happy craft projects.