Create Whimsy

Inspring makers and sharing their stories

Ashley Potts + Profile picture

Ashley Potts

Austin, Tx

A little more about Ashley . . .

 

What kind of creative projects are your favorite?

I love all sorts DIY…as long as it’s colorful and makes me smile. I lean towards home improvement at the moment as we remodel our 1975 generic home into a fun, colorful space!

When is your most productive time for creating?

It seems to hit me at the inappropriate times..I rearrange rooms before work and always start painting projects at night when the kid goes to bed!

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What is your favorite storage tip for your creative supplies?
I love old cracker, sugar and flour containers – the metal kind from my grandmothers. They are colorful AND have special memories associated, so it’s a double whammy!

Tell me more about your home dec projects. How often do you move your furniture, art and accessories around in your home?

I move furniture, artwork and accessories around every week! Why not, if it doesn’t work..I move it again. It’s a never ending process ’round here.

When you are in your creative mood, do you listen to music, watch tv or do you prefer a quiet spot? If it is music, what types do you listen to? If watching tv, what kinds of shows?

I always have TV on in the background..the usuals are HGTV and the cooking channel. I judge the people remodeling and wonder what I would do in their shoes and when listening to the cooking shows I wonder what it would be like to actually cook!!

Finished DIY Dog Toy Basket

DIY Dog Toy Basket

Make a quick, durable dog toy basket with fabric, stiff interfacing and your sewing machine. This super-easy project can be finished with basic sewing skills.
Portuguese Stem Stitch Embroidery

Embroidery: Portuguese Stem Stitch

The Portuguese Stem Stitch is a basic stem stitch, with added loops which give the stitch more texture and interest. It shows off the added loop texture.
Final tin can flowers with added paint from paint pens to add more interest.

DIY Tin Can Flowers

I've seen yard art made from cans and thought, why not tin can flowers? Super-easy, cut the petals with metal snips, decorate with paint and nail to a trellis.
Checkered Chain Stitch Embroidery

Embroidery: Checkered Chain Stitch

Checkered Chain Stitch, also known as Alternating Chain Stitch, Two Color Chain Stitch and Magic Chain Stitch, uses two colors of threads on one needle.
Handy Heart Potholders Front

Handy Heart Potholder

This fun project is the Handy Heart Potholder. It was really easy to make with the pattern instructions. The rick-rack and little button are cute additions.
Pixel in her tutu

DIY Valentine Gifts for Dogs

Include your pets on Valentine's Day with DIY toys, scarves and tutus. Super easy projects using felt, fleece, repurposed tee shirts and more!
Love Matching Outfits - a girl and her doll have matching outfits!

How to Stencil a Shirt

What American Girl doesn't like making new matching outfits? We all do! All you need is T-shirts, a stencil and ink pads, and some cardboard. Make skirts, too!
Embroidered kitchen towels with a vintage pots design

Embroidered Kitchen Towels

I used a few different stitches on these hand embroidered kitchen towels. The iron on designs are from a local creative reuse store. Fun gift to make!
Overcast stitch finished 2

Overcast Stitch by Hand

The overcast stitch for hand embroidery is a laid stitch made upright over another thread and resembles a fine cord. It is used for outlines or delicate stems.

Flat Stitch Embroidery

The flat hand embroidery stitch fills areas that are too big for satin stitch. You can achieve fast coverage of a space that needs a solid look.
Finished satin stitch sample

Satin Stitch Embroidery

The satin stitch is made from long straight stitches placed close together to resemble satin. Take care to keep your stitches close together for this easy fill.
Embroidery: Long and Short Stitch

Long and Short Stitch

The long and short stitch fills large areas with hand stitches. It is a satin type stitch and is used to blend colors with different threads. Adds texture.
Sample of the blanket stitch

Blanket Stitch Embroidery

Blanket stitch is typically used to edge blankets and other edges like table cloths, runners, even wool jackets by hand. Place stitches close or staggered.
Shaped Peyote Gemstone Pendants

Beaded Gemstone Capture Jewelry

Rhodochrosite Beaded Necklace is an original design stitched using off-loom beadweaving techniques. Rhodochrosite. Peyote stitch. 20" chain. Sterling clasp.
Variations on the buttonhole stitch

Buttonhole Stitch

The buttonhole stitch is perfect for applique, crazy quilting and borders. This hand embroidery stitches is formed by stitching through thread loops.