spit up anyone?

I wish I would have had cute burb rags when I had a newborn. If you have to clean up spit up, why not have something pretty to do it with? I found this tutorial on the Michael Miller blog and tried a few with just the scraps of fabric I had. I printed some vintage images on iron on transfer paper and then ironed them on some cotton canvas fabric just to add a little something extra. Since I finished these ones this morning, I have printed out some more vintage pictures and I am excited to put them on more fabric. So, the factory is in full swing!

one more apron

My friend, Kim, in Texas was having a fund raiser and needed some hand made goods to sell, so I sewed another apron. I tried to revamp my apron pattern by adding a flounce and I love the flounce, but I think I will switch up the top by the neck line for next time. I want to get this pattern perfect.

another tote that needed a re-do

I started making a little tote for me niece, Sadie, for her birthday that is coming up and it went so wrong. I decided to put some fabrics together to make one piece and these were heavy fabrics. Then, I added backing (just as the pattern said) and then, I added a reverseable fabric. I shoved that big wad in to my sewing machine and broke 3 needles and couldn't get the fabric to even move. I had to come up with another plan. I unpicked all that I had done and decided to take a different route. I just added a liner and made one similar to my bag from Jodie's tutorial. I think it turned out pretty cute and hopefully, a 12 year old will like it. I know this 30 something will steal it if she doesn't!

bunnies everywhere

I don't have any Easter decorations. Well, any that I have had in the past have been tossed over the years and I am not much for pastel. But, I found the cute wee bunny pattern at wee wonderfuls. I made one for each member of the family (six) and it was so easy. I do need a good shelf to put them on right in the entryway, so build one honey! They are on the piano for now. I have 5 completely done and mine is still upstairs and as Gage says, "it still needs it's bum sewed up." But that should be resolved soon enough.

signature testing

It doesn't look like my signature, but until I can figure out how to get my own at the bottom, it will do. Just testing to see if this works before I go to bed. I got the signature from My Live Signature.

new borders

Last night when Jamie was talking about blogs she said she just googled anything she wanted to learn how to do in order to change up her blog. I decided to give that a try since I wanted borders around my posts and sidebar. I just googled it and found directions here at Mom's Who Blog as well as some other tutorials on how to make this blog a little fancier. You don't even have to make the border white, but can change it to your color choice. I can't believe how much you can find even when you type a full sentence like- "how to add borders to my photos and posts." I am learning that if there is anything you want to know, don't hesitate to ask the google genie.

sew easy - i don't think so

I have come to realize that the art of sewing isn't really in the fabric selection or pattern selection. It is not even in the dreaming up a something really beautiful. It is in following a straight line and making sure you are catching the right fabrics along the way. When I think of sewing, I think of all the creative, wonderful things you can make. But, what I didn't realize is that it takes a brain that likes to follow directions (me- not so much) to have a project turn out nice. Exhibit A - this dress. I loved the pattern and the fabric and the pattern said, "Sew Easy." Yeah, so easy for some people. They put a zipper in it, teeny tiny bias tape for the arm holes, millions of ruffles, and facing. That's not what I would consider easy. Fabric bags - now those are easy. Curtains - easy. You sew seems and long straight lines. But, after all of this, I did enjoy the challenge of doing something I had never done before - like the zipper. I was always so scared of those. Turns out my machine has a zipper foot and it was pretty easy once I read the directions. Okay, for all you seamstresses out there, this would be easy, but for me it was an accomplishment and for that - I am glad it is over and am ready to start the next "sew easy" project and I think I will take baby steps to the advanced sewing stage!

done

I am done playing with headers. I was never happy with the ones I made, but this one is simple and will do...for now.

embroidery attempt

Yesterday I quickly wanted to see what one of my drawings would even look like if I embroidered it on a shirt. I didn't have the right colors of floss, but you get the idea. It's just a simple backstitch, but not too bad. Two of my favorite things are drawing and embroidery, so I am trying to merge both. Let's see if I do something with this.

the 1 hour bag in 2 tries and about 4 hours

Okay, I really need to brush up on the metric system. I got this lovely tutorial from Jodie at Ric Rac and thought, I just bought a magnetic snap and some large buttons to cover....perfect! Not so perfect when you think there are 2 cms to an inch and you make the pattern wrong to begin with. Then, you have two kids with the stomach flu and a baby who is getting 4 molars at a time, plus a 3 year old who is just plain crazy. I sound like I am petitioning for sympathy. I am not, but I did want to mention that those things did play into my lack of brain power and the time it took to make it. The first bag I made was rather short and fat. It will work for something... I just need to figure out what. Not a total loss, but quite the learning experience. I managed to make it to the store last night and bought another magnetic snap, some more buttons, and gave it one last try. Success the second time around and I love it. Great tutorial and so cute. It gave me confidence that I do have the ability to follow directions even if mistakes (big ones) were made along the way.

more barrettes

There are not enough days in the week to wear all the barrettes Mallory has, but she has lost some of her cuter ones, so I need to make sure that we are well stocked. It's more like stock piling. Plus, I'm addicted.

embroidery

For the past few years I have been lovin the embroidery. I finally made a couple of my own patterns this Christmas for a little project and posted them on my family blog. I just found some really cute ones at Posy Gets Cozy that she was kind enough to offer for free along with a tutorial. Last night as I was tooling around I found these at Sublime Stitching and had to order me some. I am in the process of making some of my own that I think will be cute on baby onesies, blankets, burp cloths, or just as wall hangings. I have this whole alphabet thing going and I am excited to give it a go. Hopefully, I will get a couple of the letters done soon. A-D perhaps? Having a hard time finding things to go with X and Q, but what can you do, change the alphabet?

the art of the apron

I have been trying to perfect the apron I am making for the Sassy Apron Swap. It's cute and reversable, but just needs a little something. I think I need to add jumbo ric rac to the bottom, embroider the pocket, or something. I am still thinking on that and need to get it out by March 1st. In the mean time, I attempted another apron as a birthday gift for my friend. I took a pattern I found on the internet and adjusted it and added a ruffle. I love the colors and just hope the fit is right. The last apron was one my sister in law, Shannon, and I made pretty quickly yesterday. She had one more day in town and wanted to whip one up. I love the pink and brown. Still I like this adapted pattern, but would love it to have a flounce on the bottom instead of the ruffle or band of fabric. The nicest thing about it is that it is reversable and that is the one adjustment that I made that I am most proud of. Any suggestions?

beautiful banners

I have been working on banners for the kids' rooms. So far I just have one for Trevor's room that I started 4 years ago. I see them everywhere and think, I have got to get on the rest of them. I just found these darling ones at Sis Boom that are so much quicker and cuter. I need many for Mallory's room or I just need to have access to another little girl's room. Any takers?

Happy Valentines Day

ruffled skirt and twirly skirt

I have come across some really cute patterns for little girl skirts as of late. I can't attempt them quite yet seeing as my girl is just 12 months, but I am saving up the ideas to try later on. In the mean time, I thought they were worth sharing. The Ruffled Skirt and tutorial is from Grand Revival Design (beautiful fabrics by the way)and the Twirly Skirt is from House On Hill Road. Both are worth checking out.

barrettes in action

I thought these barrettes looked better in the hair rather than photographed on my kitchen table. I found some cute buttons on sale at JoAnn's and have cranked out some more. Really, can a girl have too many? Since Mallory does a barrette sweep to her hair about once every hour and just disposes them anywhere and everywhere, then no, there are never too many to be had.

covered button magnets

I got this idea from a friend, but I have been going a bit crazy with it lately. My friend also used the covered buttons for pony tail holders too. I thought if I used two of the small 3/4 inch ones and had matching pig tails in Mallory's hair it would be so cute. But, that means I have to wait until she has enough hair for pig tails. I think that's well worth the wait. In the mean time I am just going to have to make them for friends whose little girls can wear them now.

vintage valentines

I am in love with vintage images and especially those old Valentines. I have found a couple of sites where they can be found either for purchase of for free and thought I would share. There are some for sending electronically or printing up yourself here. This digital scrapbook site, K & B Friends, has some too - check out the ones by Janna Billman. I found some for purchase here - at The Vintage Workshop and these were mentioned on another blog. This book at the top is from Amazon and has way cute Valentines in it too.

all wrapped up

At least the baby will be wrapped up. I finished the baby blanket for my friend Katherine's baby. I really wanted to use the hot pink flannel in the center for the long strips on the side, but was just a bit shy. I hope she likes it. I always have fun making these, epecially when you pull them out of the dryer and see the transformation. Tah Dah!