Totes for the Hosts

In anticipation of being hosted by good friends in Greenville, SC, I whipped up some tote bags for the two girls and their mom.




This bag was my favorite to design and make. I found the birdcage pattern here. Check out their other fun patterns, as well.




I used Lollychops' tree pattern found here. Also, loads of cool patterns to be found here.



This is the Pleated Beauty Bag from Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. I used the flower from the floral fabric to create the embroidery pattern.

Back from Spring Break!

My little toiletry bag and I have been on vacation. We stole away to Georgia and South Carolina, visiting Savannah, Hilton Head, Charleston, and Greenville. The highlight of the trip for me was the Middleton Place Plantation Gardens outside of Charleston. My photography skills don't do it justice, but I thought I would shares some pics, none the less. The azaleas were in full bloom and amazing!

This One Is For Me!

This is my fabric love for the month. Using the instructions purchased from oh, Fransson!, I made myself a larger version of this toiletry bag. I lined it with the same fabric using iron-on vinyl. The fabric is Moda's Chez Moi Charisma Tomato Blend and repurposed linen. This line of fabric is amazing in person. Now I need to go on vacation and enjoy my bag.

Colored Pencil Roll

I've been seeing these on multiple blogs, so I thought I would give it a try. I used the instructions from Pink Chalk Studio and adapted it for 12 pencils. I can't believe the pencil sharpener buttons I found today at the craft store! Of course, they don't really sharpen anything, but they seem like the perfect compliment to the pencil roll.

Handmade Baby Gift For A Boy

I've been keeping busy sewing up all kinds of fun things for gifts. It's hard to post a gift if you think there might be the slightest possibility that the recipient might actually read your blog. I can finally tell you about the diaper changing pad and diaper and wipes clutch I made for a friend who just had a sweet little boy. I used Sew Take a Hike's tutorial and machine quilted hibiscus fabric (using the reverse side of the pattern). I also tested out iron-on vinyl on cute polka dot fabric for the inside. I used the same fabric for the inside of the clutch, as well. If I was having another baby, I would sew make this for myself.

The gift wrapping was a sewn burlap sack closed with the scallop stitch I just discovered on my sewing machine. I also wanted to mention the colored elastic on the clutch is a hair band. I've got them in every color now!

I've got a couple more posts coming up with some more gifts I've made. I might just risk it and post them early.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We did manage to get a little crafty around here for Valentine's Day. Finally decided on maya*made's heart bunting and Zakka Life's candy maze. The little guy made the lego heart for me. Don't you think it looks a little retro?

Stamp Frame for Photos

Okay, apparently Valentine's Day has gotten a wee bit more complicated than I remember back in my days of kindergarten. I purchased super cool 3D Clone Wars cards (sans envelopes) for my son weeks ago, when I ran across them at Kmart. I figured I was done thinking about that. Nope. He needs his cards to be tucked into envelopes and then they need "address labels" and "stamps" (both of which were supplied by the teacher.) So, I cut out my own envelopes using this template as a guide (check out the cute cards too!) And, I thought it would be more fun to make our own stamps, so I used fd's Flickr tools to create the above stamp. It let's you choose the date; but, wouldn't it be even better if it would let you choose the message on the postmark? They also have a lot of other really cool photo tools. I used MS Word and address labels to print them out.

Of course, these are fake stamps, but you can design real stamps at PhotoStamps.

Burlap Tote Bag

I quickly realized, after lugging around several bags (plastic bags, no less) to the sewing workshop, that my first project should be a large tote bag to carry all my fabric and sewing accessories. Inspired by maya*made buckets, I used burlap and old Pottery Barn bedding for the lining. I'm quite pleased with it and I still have plenty of both fabrics left over. I think I hear a bucket calling my name.

Embroidered Onesie Baby Gift

I'm really starting to get crafty now. This blog has seriously helped me go from "Oh, that's cute, maybe I'll make something like that" (when I get around to it) to a "just do it" attitude. I designed the little girl holding a balloon and embroidered it on a piece of linen and sewed it on a onesie for a colleague's newborn. The card was made using Wordle and I used Colourlovers to help choose the colors. And finally, I sewed up a brown paper bag and called it gift wrap. This was the creative me I was always supposed to be!

Clone Wars Wallet

After I noticed my 5 year old carrying his money around in ziplock baggies, I figured it was high time I made him a wallet. Of course, that was a while ago. But, in my defense, when he said he wanted a Clone Wars wallet, I was stumped. Now, how was I going to pull that off? Then I discovered this tutorial and knew that I had the quick and easy answer. Using pages from a Lego magazine, I was able to come up with this design. Ignoring the fact that my sewing machine was on the fritz (hence the reason for the awful stitching on the bottom), I thought it turned out pretty cool. And best of all, my son is happy!

I used clear contact paper and added some sticky velcro circles, which I cut in half, to close the coin purse and the wallet. I also added another small piece on the tab, so that when it folded over the coin purse it would be facing the right way. (See the storm troopers right side up.) I've got a local supplier of Lego magazines close by, so I'm going to try my hand at a few more, until I get it right. I'll be enlarging the pattern, since my wallet is only slightly bigger than the bills.

Inspiration for my project to do list

I really love the colors in this afghan and it looks like it won't be too difficult to make. This is the Haverhill Afghan at Garnet Hill. I'm officially adding this to my project to do list. It looks like I'm not the only one thinking of this project. Check this out!

On a side note, I did sign up for the local sewing workshop, so I'm hoping to have plenty more projects to blog about in the near future.

Teacher Gift Revealed

I can finally show off the teacher gift I made for Christmas for my son's kindergarten teacher. It's a tri-fold portfolio that holds personalized note cards and note pad. I designed and printed the note cards at home and purchased the envelopes from a local "Paper Source" supplier. I used Vistaprint for the notepad and uploaded my design. I used repurposed linen for the cover and green gingham and Amy Butler fabric for the inside. I had my son draw the cover design and then I embroidered it. (I'm really loving that idea!) Then I wrapped it in potato stamp paper that my son made. That part was really easy. I used cookie cutters on the potatoes and then cut off a slice to create the stamp. It took no time at all and I liked the feel of having the whole gift be homemade by both me and my son.

I'm thinking of making a tutorial of the portfolio and note cards, to give back to the extremely generous blogging community.