Wrist Pin Cushion

In my Post Christmas To Do List, I mentioned that I wanted to make a ruffled scarf. My first, second, and third attempts were all FAILS. Miserable. I am putting away the elastic thread for a while until I can look at it without wanting to curse.

Blah. That's how I feel about elastic thread right now.

On to happier news--the wrist pincushion was a huge success. I love it. It's cute. Etc, etc.
(Bring on the pictures!!)















(Don't you love my multipurpose IKEA task light/picture prop? You know you want one.)
















I embroidered a little "C" so no one will steal it. (See that tomato pin cushion in the background of the first picture? I'm going to save the strawberry off of it and THROW IT AWAY! That is how much I love this.)















I cut a small square out of a box (incidentally, a ThermaCare box) to put in it so I wouldn't stick myself. I bent the corners just a bit to make it easier to stuff inside. It made the hand-sewing very easy when I stitched the opening closed.

I got this fabric out of the remnant bin at Hobby Lobby (the remnant bin and I have a love-love relationship). It probably cost around $1.50. I have enough left to make my whole family 3 of these apiece. (Not that they would want one. Or need one for that matter...)



Moving on...

I downloaded the Buttercup pattern off the Made By Rae site a few days ago. Here's a sneak peak as to what I'm going to do with that...

















Looks like my list might get completed after all! (with exception of the ruffle scarf...which we don't need to talk about.)

Happy Days!

Family Journal

I will preface this post by saying that there is no picture. Boring! Sorry... The little one is about to wake up from her nap and I wanted to get this in! There are some fabulous links though!


I vow to be more organized in the upcoming year.

Seriously...I need to work on my openings...

I have come across some of the CUTEST family planners/journals in the last couple of weeks.

I have no interest in keeping an appointment calendar. I would like something I can keep by my bed to record thoughts before bedtime or when I wake up. I love the idea of having a record of my family's year.

Like the diary I had when I was a teenager, only momma-fied. :)

I first discovered this family journal idea here, at Nap Time Journal. Didn't she make the cutest journal ever?? (My google reader loves to see new posts from this blog!)

Ahhh Design has some free downloadable (my spell check says that isn't a word...hmm...) sheets, as well as others you can purchase. Cute!

As soon as I settle on a notebook for my journal and put it together (which should be sometime in 2014...) I will post it!

Yummy Brownie Goodness

Okay, the official name for these are Festive Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites (go check out the pics she did. They're yummy). All respect to the author of Picky Palate, but I like to call these "Yummy Brownie Goodness".

A couple of changes I made/will make...I forgot that the melting chocolate needed cream. I started dipping the brownie tops after they cooled, but the chocolate was more like icing (as in, I took a knife and spread it on...). I dipped about 5 of them, got bored, and just drizzled the rest with chocolate.

They were pretty :). I handed them out to some coworkers and they acted like they loved them. I did think they were a little dry. I'm going to try them again and play with the time/temperature. Not anytime soon though. I'm kinda sick of eating sweets (WHAT?!?) and baking due to the onslaught of both during the holiday season.

Post-Christmas To Do List

I hate a blog post without a picture (BORING), so please enjoy the sweet face of my baby girl as she devoured all the splendor of Christmas morning.

Despite loading my plate for Christmas sewing, I am ready to begin again. My dear, dear husband says I should do some sewing for myself so I SHALL! (Don't you just love him?)

On my list for the next week or so:

1. A ruffle scarf (using elastic thread). I want to make something like this, from Ruffles and Stuff.

2. A wrist pin cushion using a tutorial from The Long Thread. I really wanted (needed) one of these during the apron-making
marathon, but couldn't justify stopping the flow to make one.

3. A purse. I don't know what pattern... Maybe this Buttercup Bag tutorial (free!) from Made By Rae. Heaven knows I have enough stash material to make a few.

I realize this is not a huge list for some, but I have only returned to sewing recently. One of these days, I'll have to tell my story. My "History of Sewing" story. It's not long, but slightly fun (to me anyway...)

Christmas Sewing Marathon 2009

How should I start this post?

I've been sooo busy this holiday season! (No, everyone has been busy this holiday season, silly)

I don't know what to say except that I've been busy busy at my sewing machine. And cutting table (a.k.a. the kitchen table). AND the ironing board. A few boxes of ThermaCare self-heating pads later, I was pleased (relieved, ecstatic, etc.) to be finished.

I made these:
One apron each (fully lined, I might add!) for my mom, 2 sisters, 2 nieces, and my daughter (because she loves aprons and would feel left out if I didn't make her one to open with the rest of the girls). I truly enjoyed the monotonous procedures of making so many things of one kind (weird, right?), but I wish I had started them earlier. I gave myself about a month to make all of these. It almost proved to be impossible.






I also made these:




One monogrammed dishtowel for each household in my husband's family. Nine all together. I tied them to the top of a Christmas tin filled with sweets we made together. (Please ignore my sad, hand-me-down table we were wrapping gift on. We have been gifted one from my mother-in-law whenever we find time to pick it out.)

I love making things for other people, especially my family. It never feels like a chore, and it allows me to focus on doing things I love, for the people I love. Win win I believe.