Cross Stitch Week

The kids just started school and I'm looking for a job. While I was looking, I made this!

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Designing Women

"he offered her the world she said she had her own"

I wish I could remember where I first read this quote. Probably pinterest. I just remember saving it and then searching for its author. Monique Duval. (Because you shouldn't have to google). And then pulling out a notepad to design my first embroidery pattern.

Obviously, it's been through some edits.

It was very scary to stitch. I had no photo of what looks good or what looks crazy. And no idea what colors to use. I just had to guess and then pull out the stitches I didn't like. Which happened a lot.

But I kept going. I wanted to finish. And it's so easy to say, "Well, I guess this isn't my thing," and put down my hoop and try something else. 

But, I think I've finally figured out that it would be better to fail spectacularly than to give up. Lucky for me, it wasn't a failure, this time. But I find myself curious to learn which of my next projects will be. And that makes choosing it all the more delightful.

Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

DIY Home Sweet Home The More the Merrier Monday

ModVintage Life Mod Mix Monday

The Southern Institute Creative Me Monday

Ask Anna Weekend Warrior

be colorful motivated monday

Skip to My Lou Made By You Monday

Making the World Cuter Monday 

Inspired By Felicity Get Inspired Monday 

I Should Be Mopping the Floors Mopping it Up Monday 

You're Talking Too Much Meet Me Monday 

Get Outta My Head Please Show it Off Monday

Flour Me With Love Mix it Up Monday

Bringing Beauty Beautify it Monday

Crafty Confessions Tuesday Confessional

My Uncommon Slice of Surburbia Tuesday's Treasures

Home Stories A to Z 

Our Delightful Home Show Us Wat You Got Tuesday! 

Reasons to Skip the Housework Time Out Tuesday

The Farmhouse Porch Cowgirl Up Tuesday

Thrifty Home Penny Pinching Party!

Someday Crafts Whatever Goes Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday

Rae Gun Ramblings What We Wore and Made Wednesday

Adorned From Above Wednesday Link Party

The Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday

Thrifty Decorating Thrifty Thursday

No Minimalist Here Open House Party Thursday

Fireflies and Jellybeans Show Off Your Stuff

The Shabby Nest

Fingerprints on the Fridge Feature Yourself Friday

Chic on a Shoestring Flaunt it Friday

Fridays on Remodelaholic 

My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday

Five Days Five Ways Friday 

TaterTots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up Party 

Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Nite Special 

Sassafras Salvation Sunday Salvation Show

Under the Table and Dreaming The Sunday Showcase

My 1929 Charmer Sunday's Best

Bunk Bed Puppet Theater!

John took the boys to visit a high school friend a few weeks ago. The best part of the visit for the boys was the amazing puppet theater they had. It was a stand-alone wooden situation with curtains and fanciness. They also had a microphone and speaker hooked up so the kids really felt like they were doing something special.

There is no way we could have a giant puppet theater in our tiny house, but we could have something like this awesome Doorway Puppet Theater. So I made a bunk bed puppet theater!

It was a crazy pain in the ass. Mostly because it was so big. I used a folded over piece of heavy duty muslin and added ribbons to tie it.

 My solution for the center was to sew two parallel lines and cut between them. I might go back and pink the seams. We'll see how "Breakwell & Wreckett" treat it for now...

They've already made me laugh. So I guess the pain is worth it.

Producing Bags

Another MOMS Club raffle prize. Have I mentioned that I'm supposed to get stuff donated from local businesses? And how I tried but got shut down? So I just started making stuff?

Well, that's what happened.

These are reusable produce bags that fold up to fit in your purse. I found the pattern at Daisy Janie. The best part is you use fat quarters, so there's no actual cutting beyond the handles. Except that I couldn't find any fat quarters in my stash. But I did have these scraps I got at the Crate & Barrel Outlet store. $1/pound for Marimekko fabric? Yes, please!

Someday I'll make some for myself. It's a little weird that I just stack carrots bagless in my cart. And then the checker has to handle my produce. And not in the good way.

It sings the clearest melody

 I'm still prepping for my craft day. Here's a little bird from spool sewing that I hand stitched. I was trying to see if it was easy to make without a sewing machine. I made pumpkin bread while I cut and sewed, so it took me an hour from printing to the last knot.I think the hand stitching gives it a vintage quality.

And I learned to move the ribbon to a different place so it hangs better. And that pumpkin bread smells too delicious.

Linen's Tomb

"What?! A plain linen bag?! No way you made that!"

To quote Albert from The Birdcage, "Well, one must want a hint of color..."

Ahh! There it is!

I had this bag all cut out and waiting for interfacing. I finally went out to get some, ironed it on and it sort of destroyed the integrity of the bag. Like, some of it ironed on and some of it didn't. So, I peeled it off and put it aside for a better idea. Which happened right before the house happened. And bathroom and knitting.

Since I'm most likely heading to Phoenix next week, I thought I'd better finish it. Although it would be funny to hand her the cut out pieces and say, "Isn't it the thought that counts?"

Detail of bird pocket:

Now I'm onto another project. For a high school graduate. It's gonna be Aunt Bootsi great.

It's an Internet Valentine's Day, Hartwell Pollard!

 

Hartwell's birthday is Valentine's Day. And this is his first birthday in school...okay, preschool. And since he's still little and still likes hearts, I tried to make it special for him. 

It turned out very internet-ie. I think I went to a different place for everything! 

First, we went to Cottage-Industrialist and picked out a Valentine for his friends. The alligator, of course!

Then I went to Blonde-Designs for the little sticker to hold the lollipop in the card. Hartwell did the "H," I did the "artwell."

Next I visited the long thread and saw their cute idea for recycled crayon hearts.

 

  

Cute, right? I just love them! 

Then, Bee fell asleep.

  

While he slept, I made some bags for Hartwell's teachers. I never did anything for Christmas, so I thought, "Now's my time!" I used a tutorial from Indie House, which I love and have used before. I added the bit of ribbon. They need a little something to hold on to when you zip and unzip. The pouches are filled with Hershey's Hugs and Kisses with a note that reads, "Hugs and Kisses, Love, Hartwell."

As if that weren't enough, I also made a little matchbook inspired notepad to go with the crayon. The paper is 4" x 5" and the matchbook paper is 4-1/4" x 11". Fold and staple. Then I used butyl to attach the crayon to the paper.

  

Since the little gift is a crayon and paper, we're planning on coloring! My mother-in-law, an excellent and speedy artist, drew some coloring pages for me and scanned them on over! I was going to show one to you, it's so cute, she drew Hartwell, but it's a pdf. Pretend it's here:

The last thing I made, was timed to be last. I didn't want any sticky fingers getting into them. Didn't stop Bee. He had that giant nap! I found these rice krispie hearts at Skip to My Lou. I didn't add the chocolate to them, but I did add sprinkles. Hartwell was very excited. He said, "Hey, that rhymes with me!" Heart does rhyme with Hartwell. Smart kid.

So, now, I'm almost positive I'm gonna have dreams about waking up late and missing the party. I'm hoping if I mention it to you now, it won't happen. I'm also hoping for a new, amazing handbag. If it's going to happen, maybe that purse will come with it.

Coaster Child

The problem with being a night person, (I am not an "owl," too hipster-ie), is that I feel inspired, (or have inspiration emailed to me), so I set forth bringing it to life and then I have to wait until morning to photograph and/or write about it. The best lighting in my house is 10am in my kitchen nook. People keep telling me "Light Box!," but these people probably have a bigger house than me. Or don't live with wild monkeys bent on destruction.

Today I asked for ideas for my next project and I got one response, "cake!" which, it turns out I actually made. Without realizing it until just now. (Good use of "the secret," Deborah!) And then later I was reminded about my coffee melting my new bedside table situation. It seems a hot beverage placed on a ModPodged nightstand sort of melts the glue making it fog up again. So I made this:

 

A little coaster! The fabric was in my scrap bin and it's one of my favorites. I only had a little left but couldn't throw it away. I'm so glad I figured out something to do with it.

 

See what happens when you photograph at night? So dark. With weird shadows. But don't you love my mug? It makes me happy just to look at it.

If anyone else has an idea of something I can make, let me know. But remember I'm lazy and have limitations.

But maybe I'm crazy...

These jeans drive me crazy.

I think they were made on the cusp between the Abercrombie Strategically Ripped (TM) and the new Dark and Skinny. They aren't old, they just have odd holes in them that I believe were there when purchased.

The other lameness about them is that the pockets aren't deep enough.

You can't slip your change in there and they also sort of drift out. So I end up looking like a political cartoon circa 1929. I had to fix them. I worked it out in my head, I wanted it to look sort or wabi-sabi, so I just picked my fabric and started pinning. I thought I was making the pockets deeper, I added some muslin on the inside and stitched it to the background fabric. But as my husband says, "They can't all be winners." Didn't quite work.

I ironed and starched the pockets and tried them on. Same problem. They fell out. Which I discovered was part design, part my big fat ass. (Two babies! Leave me alone). So I just went back to my sewing machine and stitched them closed. Problem solved! (And I didn't even need the Problem Solvers!) Here they are:

 

 

 

Puttin' on the scarf

 

I went to IKEA last Wednesday and found a pillow case in the discount bin for $2.50. I loved the gray and white pattern and pictured it as a scarf. (I ALWAYS forget "before" pictures. Imagine a standard pillow case). I cut off the edges and then cut down the center and ended up with 2 long pieces. Which I gathered and stitched together. I also zig-zagged the edges, allowing them to fray but not disintegrate.

I spent about 30 minutes on it and I think it's pretty cool. It may not be for me, I still have to figure out if I like it. My boobs are too big for it to hang properly, so I either have to bind myself or give it to someone as a gift. Kind of a bummer because I finally made an accessory that I actually like. Plus? Donna Karan says to keep white by your face, as in jackets and scarves, because it brightens your complexion. Any little bit helps.

Skull Ornaments!

More bag.

Keep the change, ya filthy animal.

 

What did I do last night? I made mustaches! Last friday the boys and I stopped by a KFC for lunch. Their kids meals don't come with a toy, but they happen to have a bunch of gumball machines full of cheesy toys. They both took their quarters and popped them in the mustache machine. And got little mustaches with sticky on the back. Bee called his a "granpa." (Wahr my granpa?")

I googled "felt mustache tutorial" and used this one, because they had the best patterns. Also? Is there anything I could google that wouldn't get me hits anymore?

Just another manic craftday

Office Set.
Felted thrift store sweaters on felted thrift store sweaters. 100% wool.
Collection of the Artist...not for long.

Stuff I made.

Tool belts by Courtney: I based the pattern off of these and adjusted them to my guys.

"Busy Bee's Construction: When you want it done by a two year old. Since 2007, " ironed on to yellow t-shirts.

Hartwell was a crane operator. Bee? The Foreman.

Dirt scented yellow truck soap. And stickers!

Hot Pocket.

My first project in the new sewing room. Another bag. This one with a pocket!

Ooooh!

I hope the recipient likes pattern. Lots and lots of pattern.