In progress

How often do people show pics while the decorating is in progress?   I thought of waiting until it was all done but then decided .... Nah.  This is how I work decorating into real life.  Why not share?   

Aren't the colors fun???

More to come. 

Valentine's bunting

I have been wanting to make some bunting for quite a while.  I got into my pink fabric stash and got it done. I just love the way it turned out --it's fun and colorful. Bonus: I got it done in one sewing session!  

Summer

This blogging thing. I like it...when I get around to it. After two summers of this, and lack of summer posting, I think it's fair that I will state - no more summer blogging. Summer is a time for swimming, sunning, sipping iced tea, boating, splashing, afternoon naps, sunscreen, swinging, sunset watching, traveling, diving, body-surfing....and that's exactly what we did this summer. A LOT of it.

Looking at my family summer pictures, and knowing school has started, I can't believe summer is just about over! And, to think, that at the end of it, I was wishing for just a boring weekend at home. Was I crazy?

I did some sewing and lots of picture taking. Yeah...that whole picture taking process is still "in process" - ALL summer pictures are still on the memory cards! I guess my process got messed up this summer now that I have two cameras that I have alternated in between.

With fall coming in close, and some of the rains that we have gotten towards the end of summer, my sites are set on yard things (weeding, putting in a new flower garden, ensuring the plants planted in spring hang on till winter) and Halloween!

I still need to sew. I need to finish the same list I posted about in spring. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I lost the desire to finish - thanks a lot summer. You were the ultimate distraction, and I loved every minute of it.

Introducing…

Mrs. Owly.

   

Whooooo?  You say? 

My oldest, who loves to create, loves this owl from Pottery Barn Kids (which I LOVE!).  She just kept going on and on over how cute he was.  I suggested we try to make our own owl, since she loved to create things.

I had her start with an inspiration drawing. This was her first attempt.  It’s the first time I’ve seen her draw an owl…I was impressed.

 

I had her refine it by just drawing an owl.  I had her color it in so I would know how many fabrics to use.

We made a pattern using freezer paper.  It was awesome because you can iron on the freezer paper to the fabric and cut it out without using pins!  She is a young 6 years old, so I thought it would be great for her to try cutting out the pieces from the fabric that way.  It worked awesome and she got such a kick out of it!

She went through my stash and picked out all the fabrics she wanted to use.  I tried to let her pick on her own – so she could figure out what things she thought “went together” – like a true designer.

We fussy cut some fabrics for the eyes, nose, and eyelashes.  I had her go through my scraps to find a piece for a mouth and cut it how she wanted.  We used Steam A Seam to apply the fabric, which I let her do with the iron (also her first time ironing).  She thought it was so amazing how the Steam a Seam worked to stick together fabrics – much like glue on pieces of paper. 

We also put a little applique on the belly – again fussy cutting some scraps.  I also free-motion stitched around all the appliques to help the fabrics stay on for years to come.

And, hence, we brought to life Mrs. Owly.  Mrs. Owly who has been in her arms every possible moment.  It’s amazing how well this owl flies…I am pretty sure it flies better than a real owl (even though it’s wings are teeny tiny for it’s long body).

In the end, this was a fun project to do with a child who likes to make things.  She found it amazing how she MADE this – all from her own drawing.  She enjoyed getting her hands involved in the whole process – specifically stuffing it.  I love that she loves the end product, enjoyed the process, and in the end we have a handmade, homemade piece of art that looks just like SHE wanted it to look.

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Hand picked strawberries.  Picked by the family.

Strawberries hulled by Hubby.

Cake made by me and kids.

Yummy. 

Almost done

I just need to bind it.

Isn’t it great?

I think I am holding on to this one….waiting for someone to have a baby girl…someone close to me…so I can see it in use…I wonder how long I will be waiting on this one?  :)

Love you, you know who.  That goes to more than 1 person.

My Spring Garden

Spring is my favorite season.  I love the way that the world comes to life with pops of color.  You can tell by all the color in my garden in spring.  

This was a volunteer in my garden.  Last year I got some Lily of the Valley from Grandma Connie and I planted it sporadically under the crape myrtle.  They bloomed, but had some damage thanks to Morgan.  (I planted them in her “path” as Kenny says, so what did I expect?)  Well, this appeared among them.  Surprise.

I had no idea what they were, but thanks to my dear friend Dawn, I can now call them by their name…Columbine!  They are really a neat plant.  The leafs, the tall blooming flower.  I hope they come back again next year.

The first buds of my hydrangea.  I have been waiting for 3 years for one of my hydrangea to bloom.  I need to take a picture of the blooms.  They are amazing.

  

Spirea.  They have no scent, but I had to take the picture.  I only have 1 of this variety.  I want more and I don’t know the name!  I have tried to propagate it by sticking a brick on a limb to see if it will root out.  No luck yet.  I might try to take a cutting later this year…

Peony.  Need I say more.  Can you smell it?  They are enchanting.  They are my favorite.

Summer blooms coming up:  Coneflower, Black-eyed susan, Sedum, Day lillies, hydrangea, crape myrtle, joe pye weed

On my wish list: 

• More hydrangea.  Lots more.  Mopheads, lacecaps, and event oakleaf!
• Butterfly bush
• Tall Phlox (pink)
• Delphinum
• Liriope (solid green with purple flower)

Kids Clothing Week

I think I want to attempt this.   Can I commit to 1 hour every evening for 1 week making clothes for my kids? 

1 hour/night….I think I can make a dress or skirt in that time frame.

Well, why not?  I mean, it’s not like I have anything else going on. . .

In progress:

1. Baby quilt. Cute. Not sure who it’s for.

2. Lotus quilt. Just purchased sashing to complete top (for the third attempt at having enough sashing.  The top is really, really almost done but I ran out of sashing.  I have backing.)  Need batting.

3. Corinne’s lap quilt. Need to purchase backing.  Need batting.

4. Duvet. Need to purchase backing.

Projects…..many many

I have been quiet in this space.  Maybe too quiet. 

I have projects in place.

1.  My Bee Quilt of all Amy Butler Fabrics.  It’s going to look so great!  I ran out of sashing putting the top together.  I finally found the matching fabric and will complete the top!

2.  My brick path quilt that I started during our winter snow fall.  The top is done.  I need to find fabric for the back.

3.  I want to make a baby quilt.  I am thinking something like this design, which I love…or this, which will be great for those tiny fingers. 

4.  The duvet cover for my bedroom.  Again, the top is done.  I need to buy the fabric for the back. 

My plan was to finish the tops for 1 and 2, then quilt them both, then do #4.  I think I need to now complete #3 first, since I want to get that completed while the baby is still, well, a baby! 

What is wrong with me?  Time to finish one project before I move on to the next!

(And I STILL have that bench to finish sanding and painting!!!!)

Inspiration for my bedroom

Ahhh. Aren’t they pretty?

The stripe will be my new duvet cover. I've already sewn together the top, just need to purchase the bottom part.

The block - a block made from my PTQB last year. That's on my list to finish!

The solid - a silk fabric...I am thinking of using it for drapes for the French Doors in our bedroom. I am still debating if it is too dark...

Quilt Inspiration

Quilt Inspiration, originally uploaded by KathyMade.

1. Laying out the quilt pattern, 2. coolsizzle closeup, 3. Scrappy Starlings Hedgerow Quilt, 4. pillow, 5. quilt #2, 6. Munki Backing, 7. Two Baby Quilts, 8. Mini Quilt Monday - May 09, 9. Amy Butler Brick path quilt top, 10. Red Patch Quilt - the front, 11. Emma's Baby Quilt, 12. Emma's Baby Quilt, 13. Georgie's folded quilt, 14. Larger DQS Inspired Quilt 1, 15. window panes pillows 002, 16. Color Stripe Block, 17. Winter Rainbow Quilt Top, 18. amelie horse quilt, 19. Scrap Quilt, 20. DS Quilt, 21. Hello Sunshine! Quilt - tree detail, 22. A Valentine Peek, 23. Common Threads: Rebekah Craft, 24. Block 1 for Maripenquiltmom, 25. Sherri's Block---February, 26. ATB - block 4 for Sheridan, 27. lilly scarf no.21 pink green2, 28. Black and Cream Damask Print Jumper, 29. hot house garden reversible jumper, 30. Owl Dress #1

Even though I am working on a new quilt, my mind continues to go towards the other quilts and items I want to make. I am so inspired. I am craving spring and sunny days...can you tell by all the color in these photos?

Custom Roman Shades

 

I finally finished the roman shades for Nathan’s room.  The first one (on the right) sat half way done for 6 months.  The second one I completed in 1 weekend. They were not bad to do at all.

My little Ladybug

I made this dress last month.  I loved the fabric.  The dress came together so easily, too.

Corinne has worn it about 4 times already.  It’s also big enough that she can wear it next year.

I added little ladybug buttons as the finishing touch.

Follow the Pink, Green, Blue and Brown Brick Road

I’ve been sewing again.  I’ve not been posting, but trust me, I have been sticking to my goals of sewing this year.  I am sewing for my house and family.  It’s been great!

I started this quilt this week, thanks to the snow that pounded us this past week.  The pattern is Amy Butler’s Brick Path Quilt.  I’ve had this on my “to do” list for quite a while.

Wednesday I cut out all the bricks and this morning I finished the strips.  I may get to pressing the seams later today.  My goal is this week to get all the strips sewn together.

I really like the way the colors have come together.  I am still rather new to the quilting thing..and the hardest part really seems to be picking out the fabrics and choosing a design!

Like my flannel design “wall”?  I am going to do something more formal, but don’t have the resources this weekend.  So, I used my son’s flannel bed sheet.  It’s working so far! 

Happy Valentine’s Day

 

To you and yours, happy Valentine’s Day!

Year in Review

Well, I am going to do it. I am going to rate how I did last year on my personal crafting resolutions. Why? Maybe it will help me stay on target for 2010.

My day is mainly full of all the things we NEED to do or things others NEED me to do (and sometimes I WANT to do those, but they are not for personal me time). Go to work, laundry, get everyone ready for the day, get everyone ready for bed, play with kids, help with homework, read with kids, teach kids lessons, make lunches, clean, etc. A lot goes into having a family and attempting to be a great mom. But we all know it, there are times when you need "you" time, and as I said...there are times when I just need it. Creativity is an outlet. Running, shopping, sewing seem to be my "me times" - the times when I feel I am doing something for myself.

How does that relate to new year's resolutions? Sort of like this: keeping a balance between my time with/for others, and the time needed for personal, individual goals for ME: making things, staying fit, making a comfortable home space.

My 2009 resoltuions:

1. I want to finish up a few unfinished projects.


These include putting some printed photographs in real albums - the last of the printed photos I plan to have...digital pictures are so much easier to keep organized!


I have two pieces of furniture waiting for me to finish them. One is a rocking chair I gave to my son for his 1 year birthday. They love it unfinished, but the whole plan was to finish it and put it in his big boy room. I am not behind on this (yet).


The other piece of furniture is a bench given to me by my sister. Last summer I took off all the stain. I just need to give it one more nice sanding and paint it.

I did NONE of those! This will remain on my 2010 list.


2. I want to finish decorating my dining room and bedroom.

I did NONE of those! This will remain on my 2010 list.

3. I want to attempt sewing clothing again.

See my comment on #4.

4. I want to make Corinne a few summer dresses. I made two last year. I can do better, they are so easy!

I did make 1 dress for Corinne. I did not blog about it because I needed to move a strap on the dress and I didn't get to it. I made 1 shirred dress for Corinne out of pre-shirred fabric. It came out OK, but I am not convinced I like the way the pre-shirred fabrics work in dresses. Maybe next time I will try to cut off the shirred part as a top and add a skirt so the dress will be more full.


5. I want to make myself a quilt. I've got the pattern. I need to do a few items above before I give myself the pleasure of a quilt for myself.

Still have not done. Still have the pattern. Lots MORE ideas this year, too. This will remain on the 2010 list.

OK, so I didn't do so well on my list. I kept up with my quilting bee, and I got a lot of blocks back on that (to add to fulfilling #5 above), I started a roman shade for Nathan's room...(add that to #1). I made a few gifts...oh well.

I had a fun year remaining balanced in other ways. I played with my kids a LOT, I continue to teach them lessons, keep them learning right from wrong, and show them love every day.

I'll just see what this year brings. My goals will still be there. They are things to aspire to, things to do on a rainy day, or a big day of needed "me" time.

Another gift…

This is another gift that was made a few months ago.

A pair of flour sacks with decorative trim.  AND, a mini-punching bag.  For a co-worker who worked her tail off with me.  She just wanted a punching bag at times.

Knitting Needle rollup - again

I made another Knitting needle roll-up.  It was a birthday gift for my Mother In Law.  She had requested it months ago and was quite surprised when she opened this up. 

I am really happy with how it turned out.   I used this tutorial from Lupinbunny.

Fully opened up.

It flips over at the top to keep all the needles in.

It was a well-received gift.

Merry Christmas!

No handmade holiday for me this year.  Just finishing up on my PTQB blocks.  ALL CAUGHT UP!  This theme was “Trees”.  I was inspired by a Christmas card at my Mother In Law’s  house. 

A log-cabin-ish block for Rebeka from Artsy-Crafty Babe.  Hope she likes it.

Last minute Halloween costume

At the beginning of October ago, Corinne told me she wanted to be a mummy for Halloween.  Of course, Nathan chose to be the same thing as his big sister.  I had planned to make a mummy costume following this tutorial.  We had many things going on in October with Stephanie’s wedding, a week long vacation planned, and a very busy work schedule for me this month.  I was planning on spending nights last week getting the mummy costume together.  It really didn’t seem HARD, just a bit time consuming, but also worth it for the great looking end product. 

Well, on the way back from Florida, 1 WEEK before Halloween, Nathan decided he wanted to be a pumpkin.  Corinne followed suit.  With 1 week to go, where was I going to find a pumpkin costume?  I was so thankful that my friend Sharon, who has 3 girls, had a pumpkin costume she could lend me for Corinne.  I went to Target looking for something for Nathan and I did not find anything.  I did not get a chance to look for one at any other stores – again a busy week at work that interrupted real life (1 more week of this thank goodness).  So, I began thinking how can I throw together a pumpkin costume for Nathan?  Hmmm, paint some cardboard and hang it on him somehow??? 

Then I remembered an orange shirt, donated to me from Stephanie, that was in the Goodwill pile BECAUSE, although it was a cute shirt, the color reminded me too much of a pumpkin.  Wouldn’t that be perfect?  I so wish I had a before picture…It is a lined knit shirt.  The outside knit had some flowers throughout the fabric, but it would not be very manly.  Luckily the shirt was lined with a solid orange.  I cut off the sleeves (which were sort of capped, again – too girly), made the shirt inside out, attached black shapes for the jack-o-lantern, and stuffed it with newspaper.  We zip-tied the sides to sort of plump up the pumpkin.  I think it came out really well!

I took a lot of pictures because I thought he looked so hilarious.  Even Corinne kept laughing at him.

   

All in all, I think it came out well.  He was happy to wear it, we had to put it on and off for the fittings, the trip in the car, a trip to the neighbors, etc., and each time he was ok to take it off and put it back on again.

I think we are going to keep it around…if I just put it down on the ground, it looks like a great Halloween decoration.  Maybe the head of a stuffed person next year for our front porch…lol.  The Great Pumpkin landing at our house.  Yes, Charlie Brown, he will be at OUR pumpkin patch next year!