Perfect Present for a Crafty Little Girl

A couple weeks ago, my oldest niece turned 10! This confirms my suspicion that time really does fly because well, a lot has happened in 10 years (I've graduated college, moved to Arizona, had 3 nieces born, gotten married, had 2 kids, etc)!

I was excited to shop for her on this 10th birthday because we are now to the point where she enjoys crafting, can handle the hot glue gun and really LOVES all my supplies! She is a girl scout so she is always making these little S.W.A.P. pendants (brooch kind of things made mostly of felt with embellishments). Everytime she comes to my house, you can believe we're getting into everything craft related!

So, I decided to give her a getting started kit. I got her a nice "tupperware" organizer thing (hoping for her parents' sake that she keep her stuff picked up) and filled up the three drawers with some basic supplies, such as:

• Sheets of felt - lots of it!
• Pipe Cleaners
• Pom Poms
• Feathers
• Stickers
• Ribbon
• Her own pair of scissors
• Glue gun w/ extra glue sticks
• and because Sarah has illustrated how cool it is ... some Shrinky Dink sheets!

Needless to say, this present was a hit! My niece LOVED it ...and her little sister is already asking for her own set (specifically the glue gun) for her birthday.

This would be my own Sleeping Beauty dying to get into Ella's present!

Happy birthday sweet girl!

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Morrison's Dresses (A Gift)

You know, I gotta say that I love Facebook! I credit this social media frenzy with helping me find a friend I hadn't talked to in a long while! Seeing our updates and pictures of our kids, it helps with the now cross-country distance between us! :)

Long long friend has a daughter about a year older than my oldest and apparently she is majorly into her American Girl doll and wanted nothing more than to match her! :) When asked if I could make something, I couldn't do it fast enough! Here's what we came up with ... plenty girl, plenty comfortable and perfectly matching to her doll.

(Seen here on a Pottery Barn Kids doll but should fit her AG doll just fine)

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Gifted Onesies

One of my 'go to' gifts for new babies is an appliqued onesie with the new baby's first initial. They are fun and relatively quick to make, and I *think* the recipients appreciate the handmade, personalized gift!

Lately, I feel like I've been so busy or just behind the eight ball in terms of gifts so this past weekend, I tried to address that! I went to Target for part of that problem (because what's not at Target?) and I made a couple onesies for the other part.



LOVE wrapping presents with leftover yarn ... so cute!



A couple of my friends from home just had their first baby (both girls, because JUST about everyone I know has a girl!) and I wanted to send them something special. Here are a couple of close-ups:

 This 'l' and 'c' were so small, I just used a straight stitch on them - feared a zig zag would've covered up too much of the letters!

Since the 'e' was bigger, so I used a zig zag on it.

My "trick" or method for making these, is to do ALL the stitching on the 'patch' (the houndstooth on the 'e' one), and THEN attach the patch to the onesie. It's just so much easier to stitch around the letters when you don't have to manuever around a teeny tiny onesie! I also used Wonder Under Lite, or the Sewable kind of fusible interfacing on all layers (letters, inner circle, & main patch).

These are the completed 'patches' before I ironed and sewed them to the onesies.

More prezzies ready to go! Tissue paper wrapped w/ yarn.

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Reversible Tote Bag

Yesterday on Facebook, I alluded to the bag I made in my most recent class at Scrapbooks, Etc. (And in case anyone is wondering, I am not paid for all the endorsements I make of that store, but I’m starting to think that perhaps I should be! J)

 This is a reversible tote bag that is about the size of those reusable shopping bags that you can buy. This one has a pretty substantial interfacing on both layers to make it really sturdy and able to stand up on its own. The handles have four rows of top stitching for look and added strength.

It coordinates nicely with my sewing box, huh? I didn’t plan that!

During this class, I learned a different way to construct a bag. This one is just like a box and I’d never done that before. These classes are so fun and I love learning from these amazing women who have been sewing for years.

At the class, the fabrics were pre-cut and fused – and our kits came with a whole spool of coordinating thread. And the pattern to make more, and I’m sure I’ll make more.

four rows of top stitching

This class cost me $16.20 and I came away with this! Amazing, right? That included the class, the fabrics, the thread, & the pattern. It took about two hours and I walked away with a finished project – that’s my kind of class.

In case you’re feeling bad for Scrapbooks Etc and afraid that they lost money on the class – don’t fret. I shopped and signed up for two more classes in June. I know, I have a problem.

As you’ve probably detected, I’m on a bit of a sewing with knits kick. Here, here, here and here. Accordingly, I picked up some knit yardage! The black and whites are from Michael Miller and the aqua dot is from Moda City Weekend, and all of them were 30% off!

I’m planning to enter the Skirt Contest over at Crafterhours so you may see these knits in a big girl skirt for myself very soon.

Oh and that “fairy dust” fat quarter there … that’s just a little something something for another project that should be in the works soon!  

This afternoon, we'll post our next challenge! Stay tuned ...

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Baby Gift Part 2

This past weekend was just awesome! I went to visit one of my best friends (in Florida, by the beach!) who is about to have her first baby. I could write a whole post about the fun we had, but this is supposed to be a crafty blog, so I'll show you what I made her instead!

First up, wash cloths. These are about 8" squares of cute fabric (that coordinates with the rest of her gift) backed with terry cloth. They are SO adorable, so soft, and I imagine w/ a friendly sewing machine - so quick to make! (More on my sewing machine issues later ... SHE had to go to the shop this past weekend while I was out of town ... because despite acting up an causing me fits, I couldn't even think of sending her to a repair shop while I was home and could use her; the horror!).

Fabrics? They are from Michael Miller; I'll have to double check on the specs.

As soon as I finished making these washcloths, my oldest daughter promptly requested some of her own! I am starting to feel bad, as this is becoming a recurring situation (me making things for other people and she wants one too). This happened recently on another project that I am holding out on until I get the go ahead from a certain someone to post (I'll just say the project involved some seriously cute dress up accessories!).

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Co-Workers Gifts - For Real

I know, I know ... during our challenge, I said I was going to make oilcloth bags filled with peppermint bark for my co-workers. That proved a little ambitious ... AND, I think that it's very likely that they had their fill of peppermint & chocolate from me. Here's what happened ... First, I brought into the office the leftovers from the first (and only) batch of peppermint bark. Then, I brought in some of Sarah's birthday cake (again, chocolate and peppermint). And if that wasn't enough, then our office decided to throw a dessert party! You guessed it ... I made another chocolate & peppermint cake! It is a fabulous cake that is really to die for (Martha Stewart recipe). So, I am a. SELF. PROFESSED. CHOCOLATE - PEPPERMINT - AHOLIC. Back to the gifts ...

I decided to forego anymore sweets and apprently the Christmas deadline and make my lovely co-workers some of these for New Years's ... 

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