UH OH hubby's home....

So hubby has been gone for the last year or so and has just come home about a month ago. YEAH!!!!!!!! *happy dance* However that hasn't left a lot of time for ME OR MY CRAFTS. BOOOOOOOOO.... ANYWAY. I was talking to my dear sweet craft delaying hubby the other day about making me a craft room so I can get all organized FINALLY. (when you go from one end of the house to sew to the other end to serge it gets a little annoying...) When he comments on my stash of fabric. *GASP* "Its like an addiction for you" WAHHHHHHH!!!! So it seems I need to do some stash busting *sigh*

Here's my tentative plan:

Rule 1: no buying any fabric EXCEPT for a specific project. Meaning I MUST use it with in a month. (dd needs some new pants lol.)

Rule 2: Make a project... if I don't like it GIVE IT AWAY! DO NOT KEEP TO REFASHION! *sigh* this will be the hardest one.

What I need to make:

Finish DH's neon shirt.
Finish Brother's blanket
Finish Misc. projects ;)
Make drape dress for me by lengthening a shirt pattern.
Make night gowns for dd and ME
Make Hello kitty dress for dd.

I LOVE Free!

This whole dress was.... you guessed it FREE!!



Its made out of an upcycled old mens dress shirt of my hubby's (I mean who needs 3!! black shirts anyway!?!?!) and some fabric my grandmother gave me that I would NEVER wear myself! (I think it's a poly-knit something or another that reminds me of my grandmother's PJ's!) The pattern is my own! and I am SOOOOO proud of it!

Now before you think "sheesh... is that ALL she's done in that amount of time?!" NO I've been working on other projects too - my attention is short when it comes to most projects so I normally have several things cooking at once. I am currently working on a rustic rag quilt for my brother for christmas, a knit diaper soaker for.... not really any reason other than I felt like knitting something and enjoyed making it... We are planning on trying for #2 soon and you can never start making early enough! I may end up selling or trading some of them off for different things if I make WAY too many! For now though it amuses me and I like being amused ;)

Happy crafting!

:(

Now on normal days I post a craft I'm working on or some kind of photo to update things here but well... I'm going to be quiet for a while. *sniff sniff* WHY you ask?

My sewing machine is sick so she has to go to the sewing machine hospital. I'm pretty sure the tension is off in the machine and it needs a tune up after all the time I've had it. SO I called the place I got my machine from and they told me where to take it but its going to take 2-3 WEEKS to get it back!!!!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!?!?! Of all things I JUST ordered the February 2005 Ottobre magazine with TONS of cute patterns AND just got a bunch of material too! HARUMPH! Figures.

DD has a new dress

So I know what you guys are all thinking... "Wait isn't that what her easter dress was made out of?? UGH matching dresses?!?! I would never!!" Well... neither would I but I did lol I don't plan on these being worn at the same time I swear! I just had SO much material left from my dress and the pattern was so cute... I couldn't help my self! The pattern came from the book "Making Children's Clothes: 25 Stylish Step-by-step Sewing Projects for 0-5 Years" which, if you are like me and MUST have a pattern for your projects then I recommend this book most of it is really simple projects that are just ADORABLE. It shows you how to do the little details that make it boutique worthy AND did I mention it supplies the patterns?? Well... 2 pattern pages that you can trace onto your own paper anyway (btw a roll of butcher paper is $10 at hobby lobby and will do many many many patterns!) but this is a good thing, albeit annoying sometimes, as it allows for easier alterations of the pattern and multiple uses! So GO buy it!

Have a great day everyone I'll see you at the next project!

What I've been up to lately...

First off, a picture of the apron I made for a charity auction at work.... er... next time I'm doing a half apron!


My girls day out after the new hair cut!! :D I LOVE this hat btw!



My puppy's favorite place to lay.... unless I'm sewing. And ya'll wonder why it takes me so long to post pics!



DD's new PJ's Her fleece ones were getting too warm for our fl weather and I had this thin flannel on hand. *SHE* LOVES her new "dress" mommy made "FOR ME!?!?!" *I* loved how easy the pattern was but HATE the fit.. I think I did something wrong. *scratches head* hm... well you live you learn... next one will be better.



So what's up next?
-more new pj's for dd
-a new skirt for me (pink)
-a new pair of slacks for me (purple)
-new dress for dd (sculls)
-training undies for dd
-nursing pads and no I don't need these yet... just using up some scraps!
-momma pads (more!)
- and OH so much more lol my list is about a mile long! I can't wait to use up some of my stash!

Easter

Just an easter update! Here are our dresses on the day of!

A Dress for momma!!

So finally a dress for momma and another notch on my 100 items




this will be my easter dress WHOO HOO I am SO proud of myself I'm gunna be knitting shrugs for myself and the princess next then a purse for my niece and a apron for a charity auction at my work. Not sure how I go roped into that one but ok! Busy week ahead!

the opportunity arises...

So back to my sewing list I go! Last night I FINALLY got up the gumption to cut out an easter dress for the princess. I cute fru fru one. I made an xl infants size since dd normally runs small (seriously - I can still fit her into some of her 12 mths pants and she's 2!) WHY OH WHY do they not put measurements on baby clothes? I just don't understand! I've already done an "uh oh" that may be a problem... I forgot to wash the fabric. The COTTON fabric. whoops! I'm hoping it doesn't shrink too much. I BARELY had enough to cut out the dress. Should be fine... hoping it will be fine... better pray hard and call this a lesson to learn by.

another opportunity has arisen though too not sure what to do about it. I just had one dear friend that moved away and found out that ANOTHER friend is moving in june or july. *sniff sniff* You guys may not know me... I have a couple CLOSE friends that I can tell anything to and are practically family (sometimes closer than family) and then I have friends that we hang out but I wouldn't say that we were super close (ie. I have a friend getting married, my daughter is in her wedding, my husband is in her wedding *I* am NOT. and I'm ok with that!) But these 2 women who are or have moved, are the "might as well be family" kind. and that hurts. I will miss them dearly... er... that sounds like a funeral. it's not! I'm just going to miss getting to go hang out with them whenever. The one lady too works for my in laws... I would love to be able to help them out ( they run a non-profit) but before I quit my (ok paying job) to work for free, I have a LOT of things to consider. *sigh* pray pray pray,.... or as my grandad was fond of saying "push: pray until something happens"

I actually accomplished something!!

Not much but it WAS something!! I found a pattern (SUPER EASY ONE!!)at cut out and keep for yoga pants out of an old tee shirt. NO WAY will it fit me unless I add some extra fabric but my nephew has a birthday coming up so I am making them as lounge pants for him... only problem - picked the shirt (black concert shirt) and it appears to have some kind of stain on it?? I mean don't ask me how you can see it with it being black but you CAN see a subtle difference in the blacks.... gunna finish it wan try washing it again to see if that helps. Other wise I'm adding a drawstring to the waist band so he can tighten them down... don't want him running around and losing his drawers!! Second, the dress I've been working on FOREVER I had to rip stiches out AGAIN. *sigh* I'll get it right one of these days - hopefully when I do there will still be fabric left. :( BUT on the up side - once I figure out what in the world I'm doing to the arm holes all I have to do is add side seams, hem, and add a hook and eye. YEAH!! Now to get the butt in gear! Hoping for saturday to be a long day of cleaning, sewing, and knitting. Searching for that perfect frou frou dress for my princess to wear for easter and I MIGHT have found it in one I picked up last sunday... more to come!

what's up blogger friends!!

So in the time since I've posted I've hijacked material and patterns from grandma, bought new patterns for me and the princess, AND bought material for 2 easter -ish dresses for princess and a dress and skirt for ME! I haven't even cut them out yet!!

YIKES I've got a LOT to do! Easter is April 4th so I have almost 1 month to the day to get my sewing done. *crosses my fingers and prays* I hope I can get it done by then!! I'd love to go to church and say "where'd I get it? OH! I made it!" Prideful of me I know but I'm hoping my sewing skills have improved!

This also reminds me.... I have a nephew that has a birthday in march and a niece who has one the day before easter.... what to make what to make.... I knitted Christmas presents. I'm thinking of sewing birthdays!

So I guess your wondering...

or maybe not lol Why I haven't posted in a while. Where to start... Hubby was home on R&R, Disney, traveling to SC, Death in my family - new wounds over scars on my heart. I've just now gotten into my sewing again but have yet to finish anything. *sigh* in the works... a 1960's inspired dress using simplicity pattern # 2999. View C if your interested. Not that I expect anyone to read this but me but its nice to know some one *might* want to. The pattern was free for me as well as the fabric for the pattern a navy colored mystery knit with white and gold flowers on it. ;) I'll post pictures soon!

in the mean time I finally got pictures of my daughter in her dress I made... I LOVE it. :D So here you go!

Items 3,4, and 5

I'm rocking out these projects... well... clearing up some that I had started really! Yesterday I cut out and made 2 petal soakers and a regular soaker (pattern made from a traced out hemparoo size small soaker) petal soakers have 2 layers of flannel and 1 layer of bamboo french terry regular soaker has 4 layers of flannel and 2 layers french terry (flannel, flannel, bamboo, flannel, flannel, bamboo)all of the above serged together!




Petal soaker idea was found on a tutorial at www.cafemom.com on the diaper sewing momma's board I belong to so CUDOS! to the momma who posted that neat bit!

Tonight *hopefully* I can finish up some WIPs namely the DIAPERS! lol I also would like to get the fabric I picked out for skirts for dd cut into a general skirt shape! Can't wait to see how those turn out (I have 2 planned to use up some scraps of fabric I have laying around!)

Upcoming challenge: Laptop bag! Grrr... not really looking forward to this one :p

acomplished? um no.

hm... to say I'm accomplished about ANYTHING is a no. I am proficient on a few things but not accomplished.

That being said I didn't GET anything accomplished yesterday either *sigh* I had a dear friend who got sick and needed to go to the hospital to get checked out and she has pretty much NO ONE in this area to help her out so I had her super cute dirty diaper maker -who was also sick might I add - aren't I a good friend?? But thats ok I got to try out some newborn- small sized fluff and wool kick sacks (covers) that I made! what fun! tee hee hee. Believe it or not with a 2yr old and a 6mth old I DID get sleep last night.... just not much and no sewing or knitting since I KNEW baby would be up at the crack of dawn actually she was up at 4:30am so BEFORE the crack of dawn... so no pictures of new projects right now.. I have a picture of the diaper dirtier but they still need to be uploaded.

to accomplish today:

work normal job CHECK!
cook dinner
make petal soakers?
make mama pads?
try not to go insane!

What to do what to do...

So I've decided... I'm at a loss for what to do next?! Is that a decision?? Sooo many projects so little time! So here's my list of things I want to accomplish...

In no particular order:

FOR ME(or family members)

Finish my skirt I have cut out

Finish diapers I have cut out

Mama cloth (finish started atleast!!)

Dress for me that FITS!

Another t-shirt dress for taryn (I'm HOOKED!)and possibly one for niece

Laptop bag!! - This is a NEED!

purse

wallet

foldable market bags

FOR STORE:

Market bags - use mine for testers

mama cloth??? need to do testers

knitted items - scarfs, diaper covers? hats??

Busy busy busy... and I work full time... and have a 2 yr old... AM I NUTS?!?! yes, yes, I do believe I am!

Outfits 1 & 2

The official start of my checklist... here's a dress for me and one for the princess. Mine was simple but I really think I might have made it a little big. hm... who do I know that size... dd's is SOOO cute! took FOREVER to do but I like how it turned out... now I just hope it fits!

So it's 2009 already?!

Normally I don't believe in setting a new years goal but this year I think I will dub it my new year checklist of things I want to accomplish.

1. I want to sew 100 articles of clothing in 1 year (shouldn't be hard right?! RIGHT?!?!) Ground rules on this one: I can "remake" something and it counts, I WILL make some of it for me!! and I will ATTEMPT to use free or repurposed materials. The idea came from here:

I haven't taken thier pledge because I'm not sure thats something I could do just yet so this is a trial run lol.

2. I want to stick to my working out every other day

3. Start on baby #2 (I will of course need hubbys cooperation on this one!)

4. Get my artfire site off the ground and running! (by running I mean I want to sell SOMETHING on there!)