Sew Be nice!!!

Hi there.  Yes, me, back like a blast from the past.  We got good news, bad news and just normal stuff going on, so I’m not going to bore you.  Lord knows it bores me.

I have made a few things.  Not nearly enough for what I need to do.  I have posted them below.  At least I try and keep up with what I’ve done.

I made these cookies for Christmas.  Got them off Pinterest.  I'm in love with Pinterest...

A baby blanket I made as a gift.  I saw on someone's blog about rolling the back fabric to the front for a border and I loved it.  So easy.  But I will say, as I keep learning everything the hard way... A pattern (not random) will show if you don't sew straight.  Note triangles get smaller and/or bigger on two sides.  I did fix it when I saw it.  One day I will know all of this before I start.  It came out cute anyway and I made a taggy blanket to go with it.

We leave for a 7 day cruise on February 19, so I’m pretty sure I won’t get much done in the meantime, so hey, no surprise there.

Update on Mom and Rocky – surprisingly enough they both have lung cancer.  The Chief says Rocky must be sneaking out the doggie door at night for a drag – and Mom, well – it hasn’t slowed down her smoking any – they cured her twice already.  Sorry, me being cynical...

So – I’m going to sew – love them while I can – and try and remember that all the time we have is all the time we get with each other.  So be nice!  I’m trying…

Taggie? Tuckered and Tomorrow

Well its been a really long while since I've been online and so much has happened lately, to be honest, I haven't even thought about sewing or making anything.  Sorry for being gone so long, I feel like I have missed so much. 

Well, I finally reached an "I need a tension buster" point in my world and I picked up some unfinished things and finished them.  I made three new burp rags, same as I made before and I saw the cutest thing online that I had to try.  A taggie blanket.  Have you heard of it?  I hadn't.  I did ok for a first attempt, but whoever suggested that you leave the corner open was INSANE.  If you EVER leave an opening to flip - do it on the side - trying to tuck in the edges and form a point and pin and sew while holding the taggies straight was enough to bust my bubble!  I took a few pictures for you to see, I folded it over so you can see both sides.  It was actually fairly easy, although it is not perfect by any means.  Notice or hopefully you don't notice that I tried to hide that uncooperative corner mentioned above! Still it was fun...

I have a few other things I want to make - an envelope pillow cover and a sausage pillowcase and I think I remember how to do those things, so hopefully that will go quick and smooth.  The Chief asked me yesterday if I wanted to get a real machine (this when I was throwing a fit about the corner not sewing together right) and I had to calm down long enough to tell him it wasn't the operation, it was the operator!  I hate telling him that.

Anyway, we moved Mom to a senior apartment the next street over from us.  There is a lot of adjustment for her and for us.  I think she and the country dog have cried a lot lately.  It's for the best, but wow its hard. 

And then there's Rocky - black dog.  He is sick - has been up coughing for three days now.  Vet gave him an antibiotic.  I feel like there wasn't enough of me to go around before (well there's more than enough if you want to talk bulk, but that's not the direction I'm headed here) and now I'm up all night with my baby for the third night.  I kinda look like a zombie from a horror movie.  A big one.  People stopped making eye contact with me yesterday - maybe it was my hair hee hee.  Chief is offering me mucho moola if I agree to dye it back blonde.  Big baby.  I'm doing it of course.  Too tired to rebel...I know you know what I mean.

Please say a prayer, for Mom, for Rocky and for Me.  And let me know if you need prayer, I can add you to my list.  I'm going to have to start writing it down soon.  But always room for more!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.  The blessing is that tomorrow we get to try and do it all again if we are lucky!  Thank you Lord for tomorrow!!! 

Baby Gifts and Big Ideas

OK, guilty as charged.  I get these "big ideas" in my head where I think I can just whip up some cute little things for a gift.  Sure I can, I think to myself, it will just take me a couple of hours.  Yeah, well, the last baby blanket took weeks.  No, seriously.  It sat on my kitchen table half sewn forever.  It was that darn silk binding.  The Chief threatened to "lose" that blanket along with my machine if I didn't just sit down and sew.  I did.  Last night.  Until after midnight.  I resewed some.  I pulled some stitches.  I fussed, cussed and was nonplussed.  I wrapped that baby up with a bow along with a pillow I made previously and some burp rags.  FINALLY!

I just handed it to the lucky recipient and told him to tell his wife that it was at least good enough for their puppies.  Although, to be honest, I let my "babies" Angus and Rocky use all of our blankets, so it isn't as wrong as it sounds.  I am glad to be rid of it, but actually rather disheartened about it.  It was not as neat as the first one - and my skills are lacking big time.  I guess YouTube was a great beginning, but perhaps now I should proceed with a few real lessons?  I like the feeling of creating something from nothing.  I like handing someone something that was made with effort and care.  I don't like knowing if someone handed it to me, I would see the stitching and go "hmmmmm"... I guess we are all our own worse critics, right?

As far as new projects, I desperately need to sew a table runner and we need curtains on a window in the dining room.  I could always use some pillows in the living room.  I saw one with a deer head applique that was really cute.  I need to practice more, guess I should practice on things to keep until the lines are straighter and the stitches are consistent.  OK, its a plan. 

Oh, I did see a damnit doll idea that I love.  I know, one project at a time.  Could have used the damnit doll last night while sewing that blanket, though.  See that should be my first priority - sew some, get frustrated, beat the crap out of the damnit doll, sew some, go have a drink, sew some, have more to drink, turn out the lights go to bed and start again tomorrow....I love to sew, yeah right, I love to sew, sure, sure, I love to sew, wah wah wah............. :(

Full Bib Reversible Apron - oh yes, I did it!!!!!!

Hi there.  It’s a new week, thank goodness!  

I got brave and used a full apron I had on hand as a pattern (or tried to) and I finally used my bee fabric. After some trial and error – I figured out how to make the pocket with a border, sew on straps and make the entire full apron reversible.  I will note at this point that the graphics didn’t transfer as I had hoped.  Every kind of transfer paper that I found had a white background.  I could not find clear paper for the transfer anywhere, which meant cutting out as much as I could and leaving some white.  So, I’m not happy with that part, and if you look really close the strap/apron edge on the right has a tad of white showing – so I didn’t sew exactly straight (big surprise there).  I am making myself a note at this point, NO MORE FABRIC WITH LINES ACROSS.  It’s like a neon sign saying look at me, I can’t sew straight.  L  Also, I did not put a pocket on the other side, I mean enough was enough after all that fuss on the reverse.  If they need a pocket, they can just turn that baby around, right?

(Yes, I realize this needs some major ironing - which it got later, but I was so excited that I finally figured it out - I had to take the picture immediately).

Ultimately, I made a fully reversible apron that was created from scratch with my own two hands and I am absolutely proud of the effort and the final product.  Wonky is as wonky does I guess.  I can live with that.

Next project is a table runner that I am putting together; it’s square and does not hang off the ends of the table and I don’t care if it’s supposed to.  I like it better like this.  Ooo Wee – do you hear that – I’m getting all “sewing combative” in blogland.

Also, I have a really old “family” mirror of the Chief's that needs some work and I’m going to putty, sand, paint and distress.  That should prove interesting.  The Chief was terrified when he saw I bought a putty knife and some primer.  Hee hee, I love that.  I am sooo doing this just to prove I can.  

It’s going to be a great week, I refuse to believe anything else but…

Happy sewing.

Go visit Whimsy Couture

Happy Wednesday!

Well not a lot going on - haven't done any sewing in the last few days, but hope to rectify that this evening when I finally get home from work.  I have 2 aprons that I want to make - I'm excited - I can see it in my head and hope, hope, hope it comes out even close to what I want it to.  Will share later either way!

I wanted to share with you a site that I found, that I think is really cool.  Whimsy Couture Boutique
I am challenged to try new things when I dig around on this site.  So many tutorials and links - I have so much to learn.  Check it out if you have time.  Today, Wednesday is link-up day on their site and they offer you the opportunity to share and stare at all things being created by others in blog world.  I love it, go look.

Happy sewing. 

Another Pillow

Happy Monday!

Well, its been a hectic month - Mom was in the hospital and now she's with us for awhile.  She wants to go home, but well, we will see when.  This is getting to that time when you know what's coming but it's only partly there - know what I mean?  It's going to be tough.  I know that.  She does too, although she just wants to get home.  Anyway - more on that as life goes on, I guess - One Day at A Time - I loved that song when we used to sing it at church when I was little - I can hear it in my head...It's my new "old" favorite song...Do you remember it as well?  It will probably keep me sane at this point...  Well that and sewing :)

The Chief and my 8 year wedding anniversary was this weekend.  We went to Kemah and listened to a band he likes - Ezra Charles - its kinda boogie woogie - bluesy (YouTube him if you like) - it was nice, but man it was hot.  Why the heck the wind wasn't blowing at the beach, I will never know.  We finally gave up around midnight and went and ate Mexican food, had margaritas and went home to crash.  He got me a cobalt blue bird bath for my gift and I absolutely LOVE it.  Its so pretty - I hope they use it.  We have red birds and doves and sparrows, oh and one humming bird, but it hasn't come back.  The Chief is determined to get some - we have feeders everywhere.  Birds are kind of our thing now.  I love looking in our little back yard and seeing them out there. 

I might as well confess now that the Chief sees approximately two movies a week.  I see one usually on the weekend.  If you ever want a personal review, let me know and I will ask him :)  We saw Bad Teacher with Cameron Diaz - she was pretty funny in this.  Anyway, that's about all we did this weekend...

Oh, HELLO, how about the pillow I made?  Yes, I made ANOTHER pillow.  This one was for my husband's boss' daughter who just graduated from high school and is going to Ole Miss.  It was a duplicate of the other one listed before - just different fabric.  It didn't have the UMPH because it was red on red, I have to remember that in the future.  Anyway, here's the photos, kinda of blurry but finished late last night and that's what you get! 

Well, nothing more to report, really.  I am working on two aprons with the bee fabric, which I cut out using another apron as a guide, that should prove interesting.  Will share when I'm done. 

Have a blessed Monday - Happy Sewing!

Julie

Love Frame, Bow Pillow & Bee Fabric - Oh My!

Hi, I’m back.  Kinda like the flu I think I have right now.  Cough cough, poor pathetic whiney me…

Wow, finding time to keep up with this blog is really difficult.  It’s cathartic; you know what I mean, but time consuming.  I miss it either way. 

Well, I have been busy – I made this frame with b/w photos of my grandson for my Mom for a mother’s day gift.  Not a great photo of the project, but it came out really cute in person.  I got the idea from a blogger, but I couldn’t find a four photo frame, so I put fabric in the other squares.  It’s really cute, but I will point out, if I were a sane person, I would have used card stock instead of trying to mess with fabric for the empty frames, but I am a fabric addict now and just couldn’t see using anything but…

I did intend for my Hayden angel to be in half of the photos, but I didn’t get to him in time. Oh well, he will have to be the star in a different project.

I stayed up two nights ago until 1:30 a.m. making this pillow you see below for my stepdaughter, who graduated high school last night and is headed to LSU in the fall.  (Who will not appreciate the effort and will probably toss it on the floor, but I did it and I’m proud of it!)  Also, with 2 nights of no sleep, I’m delirious now, does that even make sense?  Cough cough, tired, sick and whiney again.  Sorry.  

We got back home last night at 12:40 a.m.  I’m beat!!!  I got the idea for the pillow from Liz Stanley at Big Bow Pillow Tutorial.    She got the bow part of the tutorial from someone else (mentioned on her site).  Ok, here’s the deal…I remember the ASVAB tests from high school with those little unfolded boxes and you have to pick a b or c to decide which one it would fold up and look like.  Ok, well after the results were read, they told me to head to a clerical future because I was NOT technical.  Which is true and which I did.  I digress, making that bow as instructed was an impossibility for me.  I finally had to watch a Youtube video for that part and hand sew (which I stink at) the little opening closed.  But in the end, somehow, at 1:30 a.m. I finished the cute pillow and it all faced the right way and looked pretty good.  I would wipe the sweat off my brow now, if I weren’t too tired to lift my arm at this point.  Note that the bow is large and droopy, my stepdaughter is not the perky little bow type, so it came out perfect for her.

Thank God it’s Friday, I mean this sincerely.  I’m beat, did I say that already, can’t remember, sorry.  I have 2 adult bib aprons to make from scratch, which I do not know how to do.  I want them reversible because the cotton isn’t thick enough on the one side, but its really cute fabric from PaperKitz on Etsy.  

Ok – if you know this, please help.  I ordered graphics for the pockets and they are adorable.  But apparently you have to buy transfer paper to print them out on and then iron on…well I’m not mentioning anything, pleading the 5^th and all, but that paper doesn’t work in all printers.  Don’t ask.  It’s starting to feed things again, guess the stick wears off eventually.  I know, I know.  That’s why I’m asking for help!!!

I also have another no sew tutu to make and a baby blanket with satin binding to do.  Sewing projects are like going to the buffet at a restaurant and then filling your plate up and loving it all and wanting it all, but no way you can do it all at one sitting, right?  UFOs are all around me.  Hee hee.  I love it tho.  I am so in love with making something from scratch.  I feel powerful!  Well I would if I didn’t feel so tired.  Choo choo ain’t chugging up any hills today, that’s for sure.  

Okay, nothing constructive to say now, rambling in fact, so I will go.  I just hope you have a fantastic weekend.  Get lots of rest, I know I plan to, for sure.  Hopefully I will have more pics next week from anything I can manage to complete.  

Happy Sewing!!!!