I had a crafty Saturday with the kids. Did you? I helped the 3 older ones make Nintendo Toad stuffies out of acrylic felt. They still want bodies but I kinda like them this way. I also whipped up a few scarves for the girls with fleece I found on the clearance rack. I even have enough to make an extra one for each. The last thing I worked on was my entry into the Sew Mama Sews Valentine's day contest. If it's a random drawing I have a chance of winning. LOL Not bad for my first time hand embroidering. My hands ached so bad by the time I was done, darn arthrosis. But it was fun and I think I will make one for each the kids since they aren't too hard and my kids love handmade gifts. Oh you want pictures? OK. ;-)

Oh and this is where I hung the wreath I made over Christmas. I love looking at it.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

I promised pictures, lots of pictures and here they are. First up my over Christmas goodies. Moda Birdies charm packs, Moda Caroler Jelly roll (total score on eBay! yay me) and glace desert roll add to that my new Martelli rotary cutters and tweezers and you have one happy me!! As you can see I have a bit of a thing for Moda fabrics. I am still trying to track down a figgy pudding jelly roll at a sale price so I can make a table runner  for next Christmas.

Next is the purse I have been going on about the past few days. I had an idea for a bag swirling around in my head for months but never actually too pen to paper, Finally 2 days ago I sat down, drew a rough sketch and dove right in, winging it as I am prone to do. The first take was about 2 times bigger then what I had in mind and would have made a better diaper bag then purse. Since I have only one left in diapers and she is training I figured it was time for a mommy purse and I started take two. This was the result. I didn't want to use my good fabric for the first go so this is lined with a heavy canvas. Next time I will go bag to lighter denim. Canvas is a pain in the neck to pleat! I will be making a purse roll to go inside. I need a way I can easily transfer stuff between all my bags. It is adjustable, the rings are small sling rings and safety tested to infinity. I know for sure this will hold anything and everything I need without coming apart. All seams are double stitched or triple in some places. I didn't show it but I even added little snaps to the bottom so the fabric doesn't touch the table. Like mini feet. I still need to box stitch the straps.

Enjoy!

I just entered my felt food and my barrett holding into the 2010 Handmade Olympics!  Wish me luck. :) I also entered a great friend and an awesome sewing mama Jessi of Bratsacks.

Sorry about the tutorial. I suck LOL. It ended up not quite working as planned but I will still post how I went about it and how I messed it up. I just have to find time now to upload the photos. Today I was having fun with my new rotary cutter. Before Christmas I ordered a pair of Martelli rotary cutters. I was considering getting Gingher cutters until I saw this video. I love how it is ergonomic. The lovely Bethany helped me make my purchase through the US site since the Canadian distributor was unavailable. These things are amazing!!! They cut like a hot knife trough butter and are so easy on my hands and wrist. I highly recommend them both for amazing customer service and amazing product. Next up on my list of things to get is the no slip strip ruler and a large cutting mat. :) Hope you have a great day.

On a side note I urge you to clock over to my parenting blog and click on one of the links in today's post to donate to disaster relief in Haiti. My heart and prayers go out to them.

So sorry that the tutorial is still not forthcoming. Life has once again taken over and I have no time. I thought I would share with you all a page from my 2 oldests comic book. They spent a good hour or two putting it together and still aren't done. Enjoy and I promise to post more when they are done. I love that my kids can spend hours with paper and crayons and be prefectly content. <3

You have probably noticed that there is a new header gracing my page. i am not sure if I should go with that one or if I should use this one? What do you think?

Leave me a comment please and tell me your choice. :)

Night.

I am currently working on a tutorial for a reversible Kitchen Aid  Stand mixer cover. (yes it's my new baby) and little bags for storing the accesories so they don't scratch the bowl. Although my pastry cutter already did that grrrrr. I need to look into plastic ones. Patience will pay off :) Probably tomorrow. LOL.

Success!

As you can tell the kids loved the gifts I made them, even the baby thought the play food was da bomb! Another year done and lots of wonderful memories made. Please add your link to homemade gifts in the comments. I would love to see them!!

Well the last of the Christmas crafting is officially done. It's 1 am Christmas Eve Morn and I am just putting away the last of my sewing stuff. *YAWN*. My girls are going to love every thing. I still want to work on a few more little felt things but know DD will be happy with what she has so far. Plus it's something that me and the older girls can work on during weekends. :) Merry Christmas to all my wonderful friends and family and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

A Crafty Sunday

My two oldests helped me work on a couple of projects today. It was so nice. We worked a bit on felt food for the baby. Today's menu a piece of lettuce, some pepperoni and cutting out some cookies to stich up this week. Also my DD2 and I finished up a fabric wreath we have been working on. It's really easy and a real scrap buster. Basically I cut strips 2 inches by 10 and then tied them onto a reshaped metal hanger. I hot glues a ribbon to cover the wire on the top and then a big bow later. I may do a tutorial somewhere down the line once i regain feeling in my fingers from cutting all that fabric with pinking shears. LOL> Would be way easier if you used a honeybun or jelly roll. And for those who like pictures here they are starting with DS's PJ's. No cars sadly but he likes Dino's almost as much :)

Think she is happy to be sewing with Mama?

Working hard

See Mama I am playing too. Love Play Doh!

She is so focused and kept telling me it didn't matter what we were doing just that we were doing it together <3.

The finished wreath. Now I have to find a good place in my sewing area to hang it. Goof! LOL.

And last but not least a studious DH. He has been studying so hard this weekend and is going to ace his test I know it!

I still have one quilt to make from start to finish and one to baste and quilt and bind and one to quilt and bind. HMM I am thinking I will be a very busy sewing Mama in the next few days. Oh and one last pair of Jammie's. Those only take me an hour though so can be last minute. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Julia

Dear Santa

I have twill I have twine I have flannels and that's fine. I have terry and cord and even some extras I hoard. But most have been spoken for 10 tiny feet. That seem to have clothing needs that I have to meet.

This year for a change maybe something for me? I have been a very good girl and did all my work. All I want in my stocking this year are goodies from here. What to choose though a layer cake, a jelly roll? Both treats that are sweet. A turnover a Honey bun? Oh there are choices galore!!!

I think what is need is a big old fat quarter bundle to fill my need for something sweet and oh what a sweet it would be. So please please Santa bring this harried Maman to 5 something nummy to play with in the new year! This would be nice!!


I blame hours spent sewing the kids gifts for the lack of rhyming ability. ;) Maybe next year I will ask for sleep lol.

Whew quilt top #2 done, one more to go and then 2 last pairs of jammies and the felt food. I think I will enlist the older kids help this weekend to make cookies out of felt for the baby. :) So glad I went in a different direction with the monkeys. I think I will bind in the red/yellow bananas. 8 more days people!!! EEEEEEK.

I have been a very busy elf making things for the kids for Christmas as posted about before. Here are the pictures of the latest things I have made and am working on.

A Barrett holder. Bonus point because I get to look at one of my favorite fabrics all the time.

Jammie's for dd2.

Quilt squares for same dd.:) going to hopefully finish the blanket in time.

A pincushion for me.

A crafters Christmas wish list.

What is on yours? I just stumbled across Martelli rotary cutters and mats. Boy those would come in handy and are now on my wish list. I get such fatigue when I am cutting fabric because of arthrosis. I am going to have to see if I can track them down here in Canada. And the mats well those things are just fabulous! I love the possibility of cutting a whole yard of fabric at one time. Oh and I can't forget the no slip ruler. You can get all of these things at their online store. I am going to have to do some more research to see if they are available here. Oh it's been a while since I have been excited about sewing tools . LOL.

So tell me what is on your wish list:)

Been busy sewing things up and trying new things in anticipation of the holidays. I am also hoping at some point to stock my etsy store again which has been sadley neglected since ddwas born. Last week I tried a bunch of different ways of making gift bags.I think I have figured out a unique design that is functional and pretty. I also made up a pair of Jammie pants for my oldest. tonight I will be busy sewing up a cover for my new mixer even though I really should be working on a quilt. Hmm maybe I will pick out fabrics for the next quilt and start cutting tonight if nothing else. Here are a few pictures to tide you over. :)

A quilt for one of my dd's I think my oldest will like it.

And Jammie pants for her awaiting elastic in the waist.

I got in a bunch of hair clips too so I will be having some fun making pretties in the new year.

Felt pizza for my youngest. My oldest dd helped me hand stitch it :)

You all know I love giveaways and crafting and well Sew Mama Sew's giveaway day has it all. Probably one of the favorite things I came across was this gorgeous pointsetta throw. OOOh and this blog too. Check it out the master list is here. It's a fun way to kill a few hours. I will be busy next week killing a few hours making christmas gifts for the kids so cmoe back to see some pics. :)

I had to kill a little time up at my sewing table so that my Wee one could play with her big sisters. What a hardship LOL. ;) So I thought what can I make in less then an hour? Answer... a pincushion. I have been meaning to make one forever and finally found time in between projects to whip one up. This one I made so I can wear it on my wrist while hand sewing binding or when I stand at my ironing board to pin. The only thing I will change is I will add a snap instead of tying it to make it easier. Oh and a great use for the awesome twill tape that came with my Momo wonderland layer cake! Oh and ignore the old lady hands, winter has started and the eczema is getting bad.

Been a very busy sewing month and I thought I would share with you my progress on some of my crafts. I am taking part in Sew Mama Sew's Handmade Holiday challenge. I invite you to do the same and post links to your finished crafts in my comments section. I have planned Felt food for the baby, 3 lap sized quilts for the girls and jammies for everyone! Um except dh and I, we don't do Jammies. ;)