Pencil (or Crayon) Roll Ups

I'm sure there are tutorials for these found all over the internet, and I probably should have done my homework, but I decided to just wing it. I've been wanting to make these since Denver was old enough to draw (she's almost 6 now!!), I think these are a great way to stay busy during church. So this is what I came up with... and now that' I've made it there are a couple things I'd do different, but overall I'm happy with the way they turned out, because let's face it... they work. I am going to peruse the internet for any tutorials for the next time. I still have one more to make before Sunday.

Tinker Bell

Denver has been thinking hard about what she wanted to be for Halloween this year, she's changed her mind every month since last year. She finally settled on Tinker Bell. I thought I could attempt to make something that could resemble Tink and set off to the fabric store. I got everything that I needed for a mere 4.50 YAY!! Gotta love sales. And this is the finished product. It's not perfect, in fact there are at least two things that I need to adjust so it will look better, but for the most part it is finished!! WOOHOO... Denver seemed pleased too, she says "Wow Mom, can I wear it forever?" and "Oh Wow, now I just need wings!"

Busy Quiet Book

I actually probably shouldn't post this, it being a Christmas present and all. But I just can't help myself, I'll only post a couple of pictures and then post the rest after Christmas.

More Big Bags

After making my first big bag I've been dying to make more, lucky me my sister and my friend asked me to make one. So I had my chance to make two more and I loved every minute of it. Here is the one that I made for my friend, I'll have to post pictures of the other one later.

Dress

Made this dress for a friend's daughter so that she would look super cute at a Black and White themed wedding. It was my first attempt trying to follow a patter that I purchased at Joann, there were a few terminologies that I should have called to ask my mom to enlighten me on, but overall I think it turned out pretty good, and next time, it will turn out even better!!

Despite the lack of posting I've been very busy sewing and creating and dreaming... however everything has been for Christmas presents recently, and I cannot post that! I am determined to have ALL Christmas presents accounted for BEFORE October 1st. We'll see how this goes, but I would love to accomplish this goal!! Wish me luck. I'll be back soon.

Old to Newish

About 3 years ago Jon's good friend, Shawn, gave us a desk that his father had made back in high school (in the 70's). It has been my favorite desk since we got it. I didn't mind the yellow laminate and I loved that all the drawers locked, so I could keep my children out :o) I had the plans to paint it from the day we got it, but that went on hold as soon as I filled it up with all my scrapbooking junk. It has moved with us house to apartment to townhouse to house to house, and FINALLY received it's much needed makeover. It is no longer filled with scrapbooking stuff but I think the desk likes it new look. :o)
Here is what the top of the desk used to look like. It started coming off in places and was pinching my arm so I tore that off after about a year. This is what it looked like for the last 2 years. Attractive I know!! I thought once I ripped the laminate off that it would motivate me to actually do the project. Alas, it sat like this for 2 years, occasionally giving me splinters and still no progress. This last move I refused to fill all the drawers with my desk stuff until after it was done. Which was really hard since I like to unpack everything the first day. But I stood strong and was finally able to get things started. Here she is all sanded and ready for primer!!I can't even tell you how hard it was to wait the 24 hours between coats. It's really tough to not just get a project completed. But I think I did learn a little patience during this project. After I got it all painted Jon sealed it with a satin finish and i think it looks fabulous. :o) Best part, it only cost about $20 for paints and brushes AND I don't get splinters in my arms anymore.

When fabric just begs for you to take it home... BIG BAG

Going to the fabric store can be dangerous, but thankfully I have a budget and stick to it. Lucky for me I found some cute fabric yesterday that just begged for me to take it home with me, AND it was in my budget. YAY! :o) I had the perfect project for it too. I think it was Tip Junkie that led me to Melody's Big Bag Tutorial. For those of you that know me, you know that I cannot leave projects unfinished, so last night I started this project and then finished it this morning while the kids watched some cartoons and played. It was fairly simple and I only changed a few things, using d-rings instead of key rings, adding a accent color on the outside fabric and I eliminated the key fob, simply because I never remember to use them anyway. It was fun to make and everytime I look at it, the fabric just makes me smile. Now I have a large bag I can take the the library with me... or the park with the kids... or anywhere I choose, AND it's cute. I still need to get the foam board to put at the bottom, but even without it the bag itself can stand on its own, and i like that!!
I'm thinking it's about time to make a new blog just for the crafty things I am working on... I'm sure I may neglect to blog about how wonderful and crazy and cute my children are :o)Back to reality,

Little Long Legged Big Haired Annie Doll

I actually did it! I made a doll! It looks a lot different that the original (not nearly as cute) but I'm still excited I got it done. I got a little discouraged near the beginning turning and stuffing this doll because I don't have a turning tool so my fingers became very sore, and also because each piece was SO tiny it took for ever to turn and then I had to figure out how to stuff it. But eventually I got it all done. It's not perfect by any means, but I didn't give up and I finished! YAY. LOL, just don't look to closely at her. I'm still debating on whether I am going to take the time to tea dye her dress so that it looks antiqued. I forgot to do that when I dyed the muslin and I was too lazy to do it after... but it just looks all wrong... hmm... maybe next month. I keep looking at this picture thinking "man, she looks scary..." my kids didn't think she looked scary though, hopefully it's just the picture.

Buttercup Purse

So I saw this tutorial for a purse not to long ago and thought... yeah... maybe sometime in the near future I might attempt that. Then I was seeing so many other people (of blogs that I am subscribed too) do it and their purses were just so darn cute that I decided I could do it. I have a stock pile of fabric anyway, might as well use some of it :o) So I made this one first and was impressed that I was able to do it with very minimal seam ripping... lol... I am such a dork, but I swear with each new project that seam ripper is a must... VERY ANNOYING... but I'm glad I have it. And then a few days later I decided the project was just too much fun that I needed to do it again. So... I did. Sewing is addicting... finding projects is addicting... I have a HUGE folder of "ooo, look at this fun sewing project I could do" ... but here's another one down :o) I'm not sure I'm ready to stop yet though. Jon suggested that I make mini purses for the girls, which I know they would love... I shrunk the pattern to 65% so I'm all set in case I decide to to so.

Tag's Quilt

A couple of Sunday's ago I was able to finish Tag's quilt!! YAY!! I was so happy with the finished product and so happy to see his face when I gave it to him. "Is this for me mom, wow, my own quilt, it's so good mom." He is so sweet. My mother-in-law was in town just in time to show me how to do the binding, so that was great, I had printed out directions to help me get through it, but it was nice to have someone show me what the directions meant :o) I'm so glad it is finished!! It's so fun to do, but it's so nice to be finished. When I was done I took the quilting frame over to my sister's so I could help her get the baby quilt she was making finished (yes, she's already done now) and we got it all set up and then I showed her how to hand quilt, and boy oh boy was it so much faster than a twin size quilt. Makes me wish I wouldn't have slacked so much when my children were babies, I could have saved my self, hours... days... weeks worth of work... :o) At least I enjoy it.

Girls Dresses

So on Sunday morning Denver woke up and found Tate's dress sitting on my desk. She says "is this for Tate? Is so cute... did you make it mom? ... with all the fabric?... hmm... can I have one... are you going to make me one so I can wear it to church today?" So... I decided that it would be much easier the second time around and through together Denver's dress before church started that day... I was in a hurry so there are a few things I need to fix, but overall I was very pleased that it at least came out looking like a dress. And Denver loves matching Tate and thinks they are so beautiful together now. I tried to get pictures, but Tate is unstoppable... she doesn't like to pause, even for pictures, so here are some pictures of her on the move :o) You can see Denver trying to hold her still even for a split second... didn't really work, but Denver got a kick out of how fast Tate was moving, she couldn't stop laughing.

I actually remembered to take pictures of my progress, so I'm excited to share all the steps of my way... well most of them anyway. First was a wonderful trip to Joann's for the fabric... it would have been relaxing if the kids hadn't been there... they really love that store too!! But I had to return that fabric because it was too girlie, so I got to go again, kid free this time!! Ahhh. I love that store!! I went with my little sis Cyndi and we picked out some fabric for her baby's quilt too. I came home with this fabric and Jon approved... so it was onto the cutting!! Each step of the way took one night. From about 8 til 10 or even 11. Not too bad. And I had lots of movies to entertain me. It was exciting to sew all the squares and rectangles together, and see it start to come together. I actually ironed the seams open this time... I decided to avoid that with Denver's quilt because I was too lazy... I'm glad I did it this time. I stayed up until midnight one night sewing all the blocks together, and was only slightly in dismay when I realized I had sewn almost half on the wrong side of the block. I was able to convince myself it would turn out okay and didn't make the seam ripper do any work. I was still a little nervous until a couple night later when I was able to lay out all the blocks and decide how I was going to sew them all together. The end product I absolutely love, and hope that Tag loves it too. I think I've decided on a dark chocolate brown for the binding because our carpet is brown, and it seems to look pretty good?? We'll see. I wanted to do a cute construction fabric for the backing, but Jon is afraid he will grow out of it too soon... I haven't decided, I'm not sure what I want. ??? I just think it's cute. But the top is done... now on to the tedious part :o)... I'm so excited.

My First Quilt

I did it!!! I finished my first quilt. I was determined to make baby blankets for all of my children... well Denver is now 3 and is finally getting her baby blanket; lucky for her I made it a twin size. I still have two to make, however, one down feels good.