Goodby my friends

My name is David Scraper, Katherine’s husband.  It is with great sadness that I write this blog post for all of you out there who came to know and admire Katherine.  I know her last post told of her initiation into the “breast cancer club”. In typical Katherine fashion.what she didn’t say was that she had a rare aggressive form of breast cancer that was already in stage IV when it was diagnosed.  She fought long and hard in the brief time available to her but in the end the cancer won.  Katherine passed away on Wednesday, December 21st at 3:30 PM.  As one of our daughters-in-law said “The world is a sadder place without her.”

Life Right Now . . .

I’ve joined a “club” that some of my favorite people belong to but I’d hoped never to join . . . the Breast Cancer Club. My particular diagnosis involves 6 months of chemotherapy, then a mastectomy, then radiation. However, I have wonderful doctors and the best family/friend support group anyone could ever hope for, and I’m being showered daily with prayers and lovingkindness, so I’ve got this!

My blog will be on hiatus for awhile, but first I want to share something with you. A couple of years ago, my sweet granddaughter Ally drew the picture at the left for me while we were traveling somewhere in the car, and it’s been hanging on my wall ever since. Last night, she was stroking my hair, knowing that I’ll be losing it soon, and suddenly asked for a piece of white tape. A few minutes later, she showed me what she wanted it for . . . to change my crazy reddish hair into a chemo cap. Children are so perceptive and loving!

All shall be well! ♥

 

Rolling Along . . .

I’ve seen this saying on kitchen printables all over Pinterest, so I decided I should embroider it! ♥

When You Get Dressed Each Morning . . .

I found this design as a free printable on View Along the Way (thank you, Kelly!) and decided I must embroider it! It’s based on Colossians 3:12-14 . . . and a good reminder to start every day with love. ♥

Small Things

I found this inspiring embroidery design at Nana Company. (Click here for the free pattern . . . thank you, Amy!) It’s so pretty! Even more, its message expresses how I hope to live my life. ♥

Distracted?

Another blog that has amazing embroidery patterns to share is Wild Olive. This one was so much fun to make!  I especially love how the words and the design cancel each other out. Click here for the free pattern . . . thank you, Mollie! ♥

Home Sweet Home

Yes, it’s another Flamingo Toes hoop art pattern . . . a housewarming gift for a loved one who just bought a new cottage (and loves purple!). ♥

Coffee!

Have you checked out Flamingo Toes yet? Here is another piece of hoop art I made based on one of Bev’s fun embroidery projects. It’s sitting on an easel right beside my coffee pot where it brings a smile each morning. ♥ P.S. Bev also has a cute travel mug cozy with this same saying if you’re looking for a teacher gift!

Reading Time

If you ever need a fun embroidery idea, visit Flamingo Toes! Bev graciously shares this fun pattern here, and it made a perfect gift for a guest speaker at my writer’s group. More of Bev’s great ideas to come! ♥

Love My Singer!

I won this charm in a blog giveaway a few years ago. I saw its twin on a cute card on the Facebook page of Michelle of SewMichelle . . . AND I have a Singer that my parents gave me in high school that I still use . . . so I just had to turn the saying into an embroidery project. ♥

Elephants!

My niece and her husband have a little one coming soon! I saw lots of cute elephant-themed items on their registry, so I purchased a couple and then bought some flannel to make some burp cloths. I had one little strip left over so dreamed up a pillow for the rocking chair, too. Can’t wait to meet the newest member of the family! ♥

Bring It!

More embroidery! I’ve always loved this upbeat saying, and it was perfect when we woke up to a surprise snow on Easter morning! ♥

Easter Blessings to You!

Believe It!

I have a little poster on my office bulletin board that says, “She believed she could, so she did.” That’s so empowering! It also matches my latest embroidery project, a reverse of the common pessimistic declaration “I’ll believe it when I see it.” It makes you think for a moment, but it’s true! ♥

Letter

I saw this on a poster, and it begged to become my next embroidery project. I hope it gives you a smile today! ♥

Do What You Love . . .

I’ve been embroidering lately since it fits in my here-and-there creative moments. This quote seemed the perfect choice when I found enough heart fabric to fit these two little hoops. After embroidering, I wrapped the outer hoops in red polka-dot fabric strips for a bit of extra color, and then I gathered the backs and covered them with circles of the same fabric to finish them off. I’m going to take this message to heart! ♥

Happy February!

I always love to get out my felt conversation heart garland when February rolls around! Remember to show extra love to everyone in your life this month, and have a fun Valentine’s Day! ♥

Other Valentine’s Day Craftiness:

Hearts Card Garland

Red Sweater Heart Pillow

Love Is A Red Red Rose

Kindergarten Teacher Tote

Alphabet burlap on the outside . . . coffee print on the inside . . .

happy birthday, Jen! ♥

(Visit THE Inspired WREN for the tutorial!)

Happy New Year!

Even though the new year begins on a Friday this time, I always like to remember “Short Monday Poem” by Ellen Grace Olinger on Poems From Oostburg, Wisconsin when January 1 rolls around:

Monday
and planning
the week
what will grow
what should rest

By replacing a couple of words, it’s also the perfect way to frame the new year. What needs to grow in 2016? What needs to rest? Thank you once again for the inspiration, Ellen! ♥

 

 

Peace on Earth

Snowflake Pillows

Snowy blue fleece + mini crocheted doilies + stuffing = snowflake pillows to gift as gifts this winter! ♥

Wallies

Since my refrigerator door is already full of grandchildren art attached by magnets, I decided to start an art wall down the hall for new creations. I tried Wallies, and I LOVE them! They stick easily to the wall, hold the projects firmly, and remove without a trace. I got the binder clip design, but the company also sells versions that look like paper clips, push pins, and clothespins, as well as many other types of wall decals and murals. The Wallies company doesn’t  know I’m promoting them, but they deserve it! ♥

Sewing With Katy

How do you sew with a three-year-old? Get shelf liner, an embroidery hoop, plastic needles, colorful cording, and fun things to attach. Don’t you love my granddaughter Katy’s first stitched masterpiece? ♥

 

Handmade Treasures

I’ve never won anything at the aforementioned benefit auction, but this year I did! I came home with this beautiful decoupaged pumpkin made by an artist name Alyson who is also in my writing group and this gorgeous handmade necklace made by a busy mom, teacher, and grad student named Linda. I decided that the pumpkin could wear the necklace for the rest of the autumn season, because “Joy” and “Thanksgiving” go hand-in-hand, right? ♥

Aprons for Auction

Two of my ruffle aprons are heading to a silent auction benefiting my favorite youth group’s mission trips next summer. I fancied up some hangers by wrapping them in coordinating fabrics and added rolled-flower brooches to the aprons for a little a-la-mode. Maybe someone will be wearing them to prepare Thanksgiving dinner this year! ♥

More aprons . . .

• Shirt Apron
• Little Girl’s Apron
• Wonder Woman Retro Apron
• Coffee Time Ruffle Apron
• Country Village Ruffle Apron
• Mix Things Up Ruffle Apron
• Kansas College Ruffle Aprons
• Pink Ruffle Apron
• Pastel Ruffle Apron
• One-Hour Apron
• Music Lover’s Apron
• Lacy Apron
• Fancy Apron
• Art Apron
• Wonder Woman Art Apron
• Wichita State University Apron
• Kansas State University Barbecue Apron
• His and Her Team Aprons
• Cupcake Apron

Shabby Leaf Garland

I decided to refresh my autumn garland this year. While digging through my fabric stash, I found a leaf print and cut out one of each leaf. Then I stitched each leaf to one half of a yellow rectangle, doubled the rectangle. stitched the sides together on the sides and bottom, and stitched a casing at the top. After threading them through a piece of baling twine (yes, I was raised on a farm!), it was ready to hang. It makes me smile when I walk in the room! ♥

Easiest Party Garland Ever

Our granddaughter Ally asked to have her family birthday party at our house (happy face!), so I decided to make some colorful, festive, girly garland to offset the autumn décor. First, I put on a good movie and cut out a bazillion or so circles from my felt stash (using a peanut butter jar lid as a template). Then I arranged the circles in color patterns, moved to the sewing machine, and stitched them together down the middle with edges touching. Finally, I draped them around the room, ready to add table decorations, balloons, a cake, and gifts. She loved it! ♥

Mason’s Tooth Fairy Pillow

Our sweet little Mason is turning five, so it’s time for a tooth fairy pillow! I love making them from beloved outgrown garments, and Mason’s mom picked a hoodie. I design as I go along, trying to keep as many of the structural elements and as much as of the text as possible. Click here and here for two more hoodie versions. Happy birthday, Mason! ♥

Yet Another Dave’s Shirt to My Shirt

Here’s the fourth transformation, after an apron, long-sleeved blue shirt, and short-sleeved plaid shirt. I love this one with jeans, black yoga pants, and even a black pencil skirt, alone or with a cardigan. I have more Dave shirts I’ll tackle this winter, but for now I’m off to other projects. Next up . . . a tooth fairy pillow for a new five-year old! ♥

Another Dave’s Shirt to My Shirt

First an apron, then a long-sleeved blue shirt for me, and now a short-sleeved plaid shirt for me! I love it with jeans and my lightweight orange cardigan. ♥

Dave’s Shirt to My Shirt

After warming up by making an apron from one of Dave’s shirts, I refashioned the next one into a shirt for me with a little snipping, pinning, stitching, and homemade bias tape. It’s perfect for summer-into-fall, and SO comfortable. I love it! ♥

Man’s Shirt to Apron

My husband cleaned out his closet, and I gained a stack of shirts to refashion.

Here’s the first result . . . an apron with coordinating fabric added for neck and back ties.

The sleeves and other leftover parts will be put to good use for another project.

Thanks, Dave! ♥

Themed Fabric Gift Bags

A fun way to present a handmade or store-bought gift is in a bag made of a fabric design that fits the gift. Sometimes you can use a bit of fabric left over from the project itself, such as this bag for Katy’s superhero cape with a “K” logo for a-la-mode:

Other times, you can use a themed fabric, such as this beach-designed bag for the swimsuit cover-up I made for Danielle and bunny/carrot fabric for a carrot and book for a toddler Easter gift:

It’s also fun to find fabric that matches books. Here is some Mr. Men fabric for a drawstring bag for a set of books for Kira and some Nancy Drew fabric for a tote bag full of books for Ally and Miranda:

A final idea is to add embroidery to “regular” fabric to fit the theme, such as this bag for cookie cutters:

I love making drawstring bags and totes when I need a quick “sewing fix,” so this is definitely win-win. Thank you for checking them out! ♥

New Superhero Cape

Katy is turning three, so it’s time for another superhero cape! Click on the post about Josh’s cape to get the tutorial for this super-safe version (worn by slipping the child’s arms through the elastics rather than tying the cape around his or her neck). I found the fun fabric on ebay by searching for “girl’s superhero fabric” and used star fabric from one of my Wonder Woman aprons for the tips and back. Happy birthday, dear Katy! ♥

Swimsuit Cover-Up

Here’s a fun, easy swimsuit cover-up made from Kwik Sew 3505. You can also wear it as a tunic over a cami and shorts. The fabric is a soft, swingy, cotton jersey . . . so comfortable!  P.S. The pattern is now out of print, but you can find it on ebay. ♥

You’ll Love These Coffee Cup Sleeve Kits!

One of my favorite bloggers, Crafty Staci, designs and sells reversible coffee cup sleeve kits in her Etsy shop. They’re only $5 and come with instructions, two coordinating fabrics, insulated interfacing, elastic cord, buttons, and a tag. All you add is your own sewing thread and pins! They’re perfect to stitch up as gifts OR to give as is to people who love to sew. I gave a kit to my friend Faye when she was having surgery and needed some fun things to do during recovery, and I sent some to my niece Amanda because we love doing the same projects across the miles from Connecticut to Kansas. One of Amanda’s is below . . . so cute! They would also be fun for kids to sew as gifts for teachers or coaches. Please check out the wide variety of kits at Staci’s Etsy shop, and be sure to stop by her blog, too. Enjoy! ♥

Superhero Cape

Our grandson Josh turned three today and is a superhero in every way. He needed a cape! In a Pinterest search, I found one that attaches with arm elastics instead of tying around the neck. How clever is that! And safe! And easy! I used this tutorial, except I made it reversible and left the top of the triangle to showcase both fabrics when worn. Just tuck the elastic arm bands into the seam when stitching the two fabrics right sides together, leaving a small opening at the bottom for turning, then topstitch and press. Oh, and you can also add an emblem with your little one’s initial from this pattern before stitching the two triangles together. Happy birthday, Josh! ♥

Cowgirl Booties

THANK YOU to my friend Tamara of Crochet With Tamara (who lives in my city . . . lucky me!) for making these adorable cowgirl booties for our newest granddaughter, Emily. Tamara had my order ready in a couple of days, and she even made an extra pair so Emily will have both newborn AND size 3-6 months boots to wear. My husband is a cowboy at heart, and this is his favorite gift for all the new little ones in the family, so we feel blessed to have met Tamara through WordPress. If you love to crochet, you’ll love Tamara’s blog! ♥

Fabric Gift Bags

I pulled out my small fabric remnants and had fun using them to make a variety of sizes of drawstring gift bags. I used this design, but sometimes I use this or this. For a little a-la-mode, simply sew on buttons, crocheted flowers, ric-rac, or other embellishments, pin on a rolled flower, use patterned ribbons for the drawstring, or mix fabrics. ♥

Rolled Flowers

I love making these rolled flowers . . . a perfect TV/road trip project. Simply cut fabric scraps into strips, twist, coil from the center out, and hold everything together with a few hand stitches on the back. The flowers can be big or small, and it’s even okay if the back is messy, because you’ll cover it with a glued-on fabric circle on which you’ve attached a pin or barrette (after adding a bead or button center if you like). Or, you can simply sew a flower directly onto an item like a purse, tote bag, or pillow. I love having a stash of these available to put in or on homemade fabric gift bags . . . my next post! ♥  P.S. You can see more here and here and here and here and here!

Musical Burpies

OK, now that’s a crazy title! But it’s perfect for these burp cloths made from Lauren’s tutorial on The Thinking Closet for a new baby born into a family of musicians! These are super-easy and a great way to use soft remnants from other projects. I couldn’t resist photographing them on my piano! ♥ P.S. Here’s a link to another set of burpies I made using a tutorial on Homemade by Jill. They’re keepers, too!

Spring and Summer Receiving Blanket

My Grandma Leona used to make these receiving blankets for all the spring and summer babies in the family. No pattern is needed; simply pin and sew two large squares of lightweight, seersucker-type fabric together with giant ric-rac tucked in the seam. I had the perfect excuse to make one, too . . . for our newest granddaughter, Emily Elizabeth! ♥

Easter Egg Totes

Brown and pink for girls . . . gray and chevron for boys . . . bunny pattern available from Positively Splendid . . . bunnies embroidered with names and attached with Heat n’ Bond and outline stitch . . . use any lined tote pattern . . . time for an Easter egg hunt! ♥

Happy Spring!

It’s always fun to switch out the winter decorations for spring things! Here’s my favorite pillow (and the story behind it!) and links to some other handmade goodies. Enjoy! ♥

Peeps Garland

Fabric Carrots

Fabric Bunnies

Bag O’ Bunnies

Spring Frame

Flower Pillows

Citrus Coasters

Puzzle Pouches

Besides cars, Tyler and Ryan love puzzles! So, when their mom Jen saw the zippered pencil pouches on my blog, she thought they’d be perfect as puzzle bags, too. I made the pouches a bit larger to hold 24-piece puzzles, and I used a different color of zipper on each one so the boys will know which color stands for which puzzle. Here they are, trying them out. ♥ P.S. Click Pencil Pouch to download instructions.

Cars! And More Cars!

My daughter-in-law Jen is always looking for creative ways to corral her little boys’ toys. When she found a wall-hanging car caddy on Pinterest, I was in!

Jen tweaked the design and chose the fabric, and I sewed, adding some interfacing between the front and back and doubling the fabric on the pockets to make it extra sturdy.

We got a curtain rod for hanging, but instead of the usual hardware, Jen cleverly used some removable hooks to avoid putting holes in the wall.

We think it’s cute . . . but not nearly as cute as the sweet little boys using it! ♥

Kids’ Scarves and Hats

We’ve had another cold snap since Valentine’s Day, and I’m still working on using the immense amount of fleece I bought for a family service project a couple of years ago, so it was the perfect time to try out the kids’ hat and scarf pattern I found in a $1 bin at Jo-Ann.

I changed the scarf up a bit and made it two layers instead of one, but I followed the hat pattern as is . . . super easy.

Now they’re ready to donate to a local preschool for some little ones who might need a soft, warm, wearable hug. ♥

Other fleece projects:

Tie pillows

Freezer pop holders

Earbud pouches

Valentine’s Day . . .

. . . is only one week away! The only new things I’ve made for the occasion this year are some infinity scarves from red-on-white and white-on-red dotted chiffon that I had in my stash. They’re super-easy to sew (check out Pinterest for tons of tutorials!) and perfect for gifting. But it’s also fun to put out some treasures from previous projects, such as:

Heart to Heart Garland

Valentine Hearts Card Garland

Red Sweater Heart Pillow

and my February Shantilly Frame.

Have a happy week sharing *a little extra* love with your family and friends. ♥

“I Sleep On It!”

When I saw this fun fabric on Pick Your Plum, I HAD to get one each for grandchildren Allyson, Kira, Miranda, Brody, Tyler, Ryan, Joshua, and Kaitlyn. It’s exactly the right amount for a “sweet dreams” pillowcase, but it would also make a perfect cape, tote bag, or other personalized item. The photo below is Joshua, who immediately snuggled in and told his mom, “I sleep on it!”

If you sign up at Pick Your Plum, you’ll get daily emails with fun crafty items and accessories at amazing discounted prices. With a little luck, this fabric treasure will come up again soon! ♥

 

Merry Christmas!

What do you get when you combine a Saturday morning, 8- and 10-year-old granddaughters, a roll of twine, red and white Tempera paint, and a package of dollar store wooden spoons? Sixteen Santas for teachers and friends on the girlies’ gift lists! You’ll find directions on Real Simple, and here are some other crafty ideas from Christmases past:

• Fabric Forest
• J-O-Y
• Peppermint Wreath
• Deck the Walls
• All-Holiday Frame
• Christmas Bunting
• Christmas Argyle Pillow
• Felt Wreath Pillow
• Mini-Pillow Ornaments

My blog has been on the back burner since summer, but I think of you often . . . sending love and best wishes for a joyous Christmas season to you and yours!

Katy’s Apron

Hello, my long-lost friends! I hope everyone is well. I miss reading your blogs and hope to catch up soon.

My friend Sewing Machine and I haven’t spent much time together this summer, but I did find a spot o’ time to make an apron for my adorable granddaughter Katy’s 2nd birthday. This fun pattern is SUPER easy to stitch up, since it uses bias tape instead of hems around all the edges. I bought this pretty pink-flowered tape for Katy’s apron at a craft show, but I now own a bias tape maker and can’t wait to try creating some myself with Beth’s tutorial at The Renegade Seamstress. Katy especially loves her name embroidered on the pocket!

Click here for the pattern from Joan Giammalva. And, if you want a fun cookbook to gift with the apron, I recommend Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes by Mollie Katzen . . . perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

Thank you for taking a peek! ♥

 

Back to School Pencil Pouches

My niece Amanda got to stop by for a few hours on her vacation to Kansas. We love to make projects together when she visits, like last summer’s ruffle apron. This time we made pencil pouches for HER nieces who are getting ready to begin first and second grade. Amanda looked through my stash and found a crayon print for the outside, alphabet print for the inside, felt for interfacing, and zippers in the girls’ favorite colors. We used the sunnies cases tutorial, only in a different size and shape. We also typed up the instructions so Amanda can make more when she gets home. Click Pencil Pouch to download all the steps. Happy Back-to-School! ♥

Quickie Project!

Hello, friends! I haven’t posted OR answered my last set of comments OR read your blogs . . . I miss you! Life and work have just been a little crazy lately. I know you can all relate! But here is a quickie project I made for two sweet little girls to organize their hair accessories and necklaces in their new house. The frame is a hand-me-down from their great-grandmother, so we didn’t paint it, but it has plenty of color with ric-rac, headbands, barrettes, rubber bands, jewelry, and a little fabric flower a-la-mode. Thank you for taking a peek! ♥

Happy 4th of July!

My niece Amanda made this clothespin wreath . . . isn’t it festive? Here are some of her tips:

I bought 100 clothespins at Target and painted them with acrylic paint I already had. I like to paint, so it was fun for me, but it would be easier/faster with spray paint. Then I got a wire wreath and a bag of little wooden stars at Jo-Ann using a 40% off coupon and put it together! The clothespins just clip on and I used hot glue to attach the stars. I made sure that there were 7 red and 6 white “stripes.” (My Pinterest inspiration photo didn’t do that and it was driving me crazy!)  I love it and it goes great with my blue front door. 

Total cost? Eight dollars! Thank you for letting me share your fun project, Amanda! And happy holiday to all my U.S.A. blog friends. ♥  P.S. Click here to see the apron Amanda and I sewed together last summer!

Mickey Mouse Bag

Remember my Quilted Front Zippered Pouch? My friend Faye made this adorable version using two styles of Mickey Mouse fabric inside and out and gave it to ME! (She and her kids and grandkids are huge Disney World fans!) I just love it! Be sure to visit Noodlehead for easy, fun directions for this bag and many more. Simply click on the Tutorials page . . . but you’ll want to explore the rest of Anna’s blog, too! Thank you, Anna and Faye! ♥

Vintage Linen Pillow

Since I have lots of hand-me-down vintage linens and doilies, I’ve been collecting ideas for using them in new ways. One idea I’ve seen several times is to use the piece as a-la-mode on a pillow. When I saw this pink polka-dot brown flannel next to this pastel pink table scarf, it was love at first sight! I simply centered the scarf on the cut out fabric, stitched it on, and completed the pillow as usual. Mmmm . . . brown and pink! ♥

More Sunnies!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve gone a little crazy making these sunnies cases . . . and this photo doesn’t even show the three I’ve already given away! If you’d like to make your own, check out this lovely tutorial on Polka Dot Chair. I decided to embroider the word since that’s one of my hobbies, but Melissa’s fused method is very modern and chic. Thank you for the fun summer inspiration, Melissa! ♥

Sunnies Case

I loved trying out this Sunnies Case Tutorial by Melissa of Polka Dot Chair. My only tweak was to embroider the word on the front instead of fusing it. The project was so much fun that after I took this photo, I made over a dozen more . . . I’ll post them next! ♥

Fleece Earbud Pouches

Thanksgiving before last, we had a family craft/service project while everyone was here for the holiday, making fleece pillows for Christmas gifts for local nonprofits. Afterward, I had about a bazillion 4 x 4 inch squares of fleece left over! Last summer I used some to make freezer pop holders, but I still had tons in my stash. Then I found several tutorials for earbud pouches. . . perfect! They take less than a half hour to cut out and stitch, and they’ll make fun mini-gifts for lots of kids I know. Here are some of the ideas I read about . . . thank you for the inspiration, ladies! ♥

Dog Under My Desk

Sew Exhausted

Sewlicious Home Decor

Kylykokewiet

Red, White, and Blue

In the U.S.A., Memorial Day is today, June 14 is Flag Day, and July 4 is Independence Day, so you can’t go wrong with a bit of patriotic decor this time of year. Here is my restyled Shantilly frame, a free art print on a hand-quilted table runner my daughter-in-law Tiffany gave me for my birthday, the 1776 pillow I made last summer, and a pinwheel bouquet (also a free printable!). Happy summer! ♥

Hostess Gifts

What’s inside these upcycled scrapbook paper/washi tape/twine wrapped potato chip cans? Cookies! We received some lovely invitations for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, so I made treats for hostess gifts. Here is a recipe my sons LOVED when they were little that’s no-fail and easy to transport. Enjoy, and I wish you a happy time of remembrance with your family and friends. ♥

RANGER CRISPIES

1/2 cup + 1/3 cup butter

1 cup each sugar and brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon each baking powder, soda, salt, and vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

3 cups crisp rice cereal

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs. Add dry ingredients and stir until well blended. Stir in cereal. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes. Let stand one minute before removing from pan. Makes five dozen.

Another Sweater Teddy Bear!

Recently I had the privilege of making a sweater teddy bear for Sharon of Gentlestitches, both shown in the photo below. Sharon sent a well-loved carousel-horse-print sweater all the way from Australia to Kansas, USA and wrote such a lovely post when her bear (now named Eddie!) arrived home. Here’s to bloggy friends near and far! ♥ P.S. Click here and here for more bear love.

Tips From An Expert

Our friend Beth of The Renegade Seamstress is getting ready to present another BurdaStyle web seminar! This one, called Secret Ways to Make Your Sewing Blog a Success, is scheduled for Thursday, June 5th at 11:00 am (EST), and even if you can’t attend at that time, you’ll receive a recorded version to watch at your convenience. Topics include becoming part of the blogging community, developing friendly alliances and creative vision, improving photography, attracting readers, managing time, increasing blog traffic, new career opportunities, making money, self-promoting, and networking. You can visit Beth’s post about the seminar here and click here to register. Best wishes on your newest venture, Beth! ♥

Zentangle Art Book . . . FREE!

Our friend Mahe of Altered Upcycling is offering her newest Kindle book, Zentangle Inspired Art: A Beginners Guide to Zentangle Art and Zentangle Inspired Art and Craft Projects, to all of us for FREE from Monday, May 19 through Friday, May 23! The book is full of projects and worksheets to facilitate both the beginner and experienced artist. Mahe says, “Even if you have never tried doodling before, this guide will walk you through the entire process of Zentangle art in a step-by-step manner supported by numerous pictures and examples.” Thank you, Mahe! ♥  P.S. Remember . . . if you don’t have a Kindle, you can get a free app for your phone, tablet, or computer to read Kindle books!

Five Stones Game

After I won a Five Stones game from Sharon of A Chronicle of My Sewing Adventures, I decided to try my hand at making my own. It was SO easy! I have a stash of inexpensive pony beads for kid crafts, so I used those as stuffing to make the “stones” washable. Then I tried a drawstring pouch I saw on Bec’s Handmade & Home blog to store them in. These two fabrics were together in a fat quarter bundle I got as a birthday gift. I finished the whole set in about an hour, and it will be fun to make more by mixing and matching fabrics for different personalities. Click here for the game piece tutorial and game directions and here for the drawstring pouch tutorial. Thank you, Sharon and Bec! ♥

A Chronicle of My Sewing Adventures Giveaway

Sharon of A Chronicle of My Sewing Adventures had a giveaway, and I won! Just look at this lovely fabric and lace! If you read my previous post, you’ll see that I already used a bit of the fabric in my Quilted Front Zippered Pouch. Sharon also included the game pieces for Five Stones . . . click here for sewing and game instructions. I love it all. Thank you, dear Sharon! ♥ P.S. Sharon and I discovered that we both live in Kansas!

Quilted Front Zippered Pouch

For AGES I’ve been wanting to try the Scrappy Makeup Pouch tutorial on Noodlehead.

A little block of time recently appeared, and here it is! Anna’s directions are crystal clear, and the sky is the limit on fabric combinations for this cute little bag.

Thank you, Anna! ♥

P.S. Here are some of Anna’s other fun pouches . . . they’re on my list, too!

Gather Clutch Tutorial

Lil Cutie Pouch

Zippy Wallet

Open Wide Zippered Pouch

Binder Pouch

Pencil Pouch

 

Mommy/Grandmother Vase

Are you looking for a fun, quick, and easy gift for a mom or grandma you love? Last summer I made a grandmother vase for a dear friend . . . a tiny bottle, corked when not in use, with charm a-la-mode in which to display a flower (or dandelion!) lovingly picked by a small child . . . or a pretty leaf he or she discovers . . . or a found feather. . . These sweet little bottles are readily available at craft stores, as are bags of charms—plus these stores often have great coupons. However, I was lucky enough to snag the 5-inch wooden-stoppered bottles below at a craft garage sale! With a good washing, a coat of paint on top, and charms around the necks, they’re all ready to go. Simply remove the stopper, fill part way with water, and add a flower. Happy Mother’s Day! ♥

I won a beautiful crocheted clutch!

Look at this GORGEOUS clutch crocheted by Sarah of Photosarah Crafts! She had a recent giveaway, and I was the lucky winner! I love the color combination, and Sarah’s work is impeccable. Please check out her blog for all sorts of fun projects, like pouches, scarves and mittens, bunting, baby clothes, cards, and quilts. You are one talented lady, Sarah! ♥

Coffee Time Apron

Yes . . . I made THREE new aprons! For this one, I used a print with coffee words as the centerpiece and added other prints from my stash. Click here for a link to the free Ruffle Aprons Tutorial along with my tweaks. ♥

Country Village Apron

On a recent road trip, I found this charming village fabric in a quilt shop in Tennessee. It was fun to mix and match it with some other homey prints in my stash! Click here for a link to the free Ruffle Aprons Tutorial along with my tweaks. ♥

Pink, Pink, and More Pink

I’ve been in an apron sewing mood and dug into the pinks in my stash. So fun to mix, match, and make! Click here for a link to the free Ruffle Aprons Tutorial along with my tweaks. ♥

Crazy Quilt Pillow

My sister took a crazy quilt class and made this fun block. I love the fabrics she chose and all the dashing embroidery stitches she added for a-la-mode. Then she gave it to me to make a pillow! I used a square of black and white striped fabric from my stash for the back. Thank you, Susan! ♥

Easter Blessings

 

Carrot Math

Fabric carrot + The Carrot Seed board book + carrot and bunny fabric drawstring bag = baby Easter gift! ♥

Carrot Patch!

Soooooo . . . have you made your fabric carrots yet? I went a little crazy with mine! Now that I have enough to completely fill the tray, it looks like a little veggie patch! Find some orange and green remnants to mix and match, go to this tutorial at Clare’s Craftroom, and you, too, can have a garden growing on your dining room table! ♥

Dresser Restyle

On a recent visit to our Georgia family, we got to enjoy this beautiful dresser in our guest room. Mary Ann restyled a hand-me-down with two colors of paint and a different pair of silvery knobs on each drawer. I can’t wait to try this at home! ♥

Veggies!

Our lovely daughter-in-law Mary Ann is a registered dietician turned physician’s assistant and sports a fun “Periodic Table of the Vegetables” poster in her kitchen. On a trip to Jo-Ann to buy a foam cushion for the toy box bench, I spotted this “Farmer’s Market” fabric—perfect for a decorative cushion for the kitchen window seat. The cat promptly nestled beside it for a nap . . . and Mary Ann loves it, too! ♥

New Home Pillows

Our Georgia family recently moved and needed some new pillow décor. First, we made a bench seat cushion for baby Josh’s toy box (handmade by his Uncle Jeff!). Josh’s room is morphing into a travel theme—don’t you just LOVE this map fabric his mommy picked out? We had enough for a square pillow to pose on the rocking chair, too. Then we made some floral and solid-with-button-a-la-mode pillows for the purple sofa in the living room. Mary Ann purchased the fabrics at Curtain Call in Augusta, Georgia. ♥  P.S. Now I want a purple sofa!

 

Nook Tote Bag

On a recent visit, our eight-year-old granddaughter Miranda and I raided her mom’s fabric stash and put our heads together to design and sew a tote for her Nook e-reader—a colorful, lined bag with shoulder length handles and shabby chic roses for a-la-mode. What a fun project with a fun sewing buddy! ♥

It’s April!

It’s time to change up my Shantilly frame again! I’ve been making lots of rolled fabric rosettes from remnants—the perfect handwork project for road trips or watching TV. (I use this tutorial but stitch instead of glue.) So, while waiting for REAL flowers to pop out, I decided to bunch my fabric versions into a colorful garden with a peeping PEEP left over from my spring garland for a-la-mode. Happy April . . . and don’t pull TOO many April Fool’s tricks today!  ♥  P.S. Here are the red frame restyles for November, December, January, and February and the green frame design for March.

You’re My Type

The lovely Courtney of Make All Things New recently had a contest for one of her fun graphic design prints, and I won! I love old typewriters, so I did a little play on words and chose “You’re my type” for the text. I’ve already hung a full-size copy in my office and printed smaller versions to make note cards. Thank you, Courtney! TO MY OTHER BLOGGY FRIENDS: Will you please take a minute to visit, like, comment, and even follow Courtney’s blog today? She is one AMAZING lady! She has two six-year-old girls with enormous personalities.  She loves to sew, craft, draw, and paint. She teaches library, gives art lessons, and creates custom quilts, prints, and invitations. She is also painting a mural for her church nursery and sets for a play, mentors teens, and makes movies for a youth service—all on top of keeping her home running. She and her youth pastor husband feel that God may be calling them to Romania full time to work with orphans and the Roma people and are traveling there this summer to get a feel for what the future may hold. Oh, and Courtney has an Etsy shop, too! Please read these posts about the causes her shop supports . . . but you might want to grab a hankie first! Courtney, you put your heart and soul into making the world a better place. I’m so happy to have met you! ♥

Holiday Wreaths

On a recent visit to our Missouri family, we were greeted by a fun St. Patrick’s wreath on the front door. Our daughter-in-law Tiffany made it from a wire form + decorative mesh + a-la-mode. Then she was kind enough to pull out the ones she had made for Valentine’s Day and Christmas so I could photograph them for you. Tiffany said to check out “decomesh wreaths” or “decorative mesh wreaths” on Pinterest for tutorials and ideas. In the meantime, enjoy these three! ♥

Peeps Garland!

I recently hung the Peeps garland I made last spring (out of felt, not the candy!). Here are the super-simple directions:

(1) Draw a simple bunny shape or find a free template online.

(2) Make the bunnies from felt, fabric scraps, construction paper, or scrapbook paper.

(3) Add the eye and nose dots with fabric paint, permanent marker, or embroidered French knots.

(4) Attach the bunnies to ric-rac, ribbon, rope, string, or twine using glue or hand or machine stitching.

You’ll soon have a cheery pop of color for your spring décor. Have fun! ♥

Bunny Basket

I was so happy when I got out my spring decorations and found a bunch of these left over from last spring’s bunny sewing bonanza that I promptly plopped them into a basket to display in the living room. You can find the pattern and tutorial from Angie on The Little Fabric Blog. And they’re so quick and easy that you can even make a whole Bag o’ Bunnies for a special little one in your life. Now . . . hop to it! ♥

Fabric Carrots!

Who knew that carrots could be THIS cute? I made this springy tray of rabbit food from orange and green remnants using  this tutorial at Clare’s Craft Room. I’m pretty sure that a few of them will end up in Easter baskets, too! ♥

An Invitation from The Renegade Seamstress

I know that you . . . like me . . . are all HUGE fans of Beth, the Renegade Seamstress.

Besides her inspiring blog full of “real” projects that any of us can try, Beth also sponsored Refashion Runway, is a weekly contributor to eHow, and has a book coming out this fall that I can’t WAIT to read!

Now Beth has been asked to teach a live web seminar on March 31 for BurdaStyle and has invited all of us to participate!

“Refashion: Inspiration and Projects to Revamp and Recycle Your Wardrobe”

Read Beth’s post about the seminar HERE and click HERE to see the course description and register.

I know it will be amazing . . . congratulations, Beth! ♥

Tyler’s Tooth Fairy Pillow

I love to make tooth fairy pillows from well-loved baby or toddler clothes! To transform the Disney World hoodie that Tyler chose, I simply cut it into a square, embroidered a tooth on one pocket and a dollar sign on the other, and stitched and stuffed. So easy! Now he’s eagerly waiting for that first loose tooth! ♥  P.S. Click here for another hoodie tooth fairy pillow and here and here for two more designs.

Sweater Teddy Bears

Last fall I shared my first sweater teddy bear, made from one of my mom-in-law’s special sweaters. One of the conversations in the comments (with the fun Evgenia of Being Zhenya) went like this:

I love it! Can I have it, pretty please?

If you have a favorite old sweater, you can send it to me and I’ll make you a bear! (I owe you a present anyway after winning one of your giveaways!) Shoot me an email if you decide to go for it!

Really really? And you don’t owe me anything! Let me see if I can find a sweater!

Yes, really! It’ll be fun!

Eventually, Evgenia got a chance to send a couple of sweaters, and I got to work. The large bear is from the same pattern I used before (McCall’s Crafts 703) and the smaller one is from Claire’s cute (and FREE!) Mr. Ted pattern on Craft Schmaft. After a bit of embroidery and button, ric-rac, and flower a-la-mode, they’re all ready to put in the mail to my bloggy pal. I hope you love them, Evgenia! ♥

March!

Even though I knew we’d have more snow this week (and we did!), I had a free day on Saturday so I went ahead and dressed our home for spring, including a new GREEN Shantilly frame! For March, I found a thought-provoking Emily Dickinson quote about luck, snipped a tiny calendar from a bookmark in a Better Homes and Gardens mailer, and made some rolled fabric rosettes (from this tutorial, only stitched instead of glued). Happy *almost* spring! ♥  P.S. Here are the red frame restyles for November, December, January, and February.