....and now back to SEWING!!!

Still not SPOTLESS....

But it will do for now!!

At least I can cut some fabric!!

Thank you all for your sweet comments, and BELIEF that there would be AFTER pictures! And thank you AMY for telling me to get off of the computer....and clean :) My sweeties are the BEST!!! Until later....

We interrupt this regularly scheduled sewing time....

TO CLEAN THIS MESS!!!!

I mean REALLY.....don't you feel EMBARRASSED just by LOOKING at this??? I know I am, but I figured if I put it "out" there for everyone to see, it would motivate me to stop and CLEAN, STRAIGHTEN, ORGANIZE.....SOMETHING.....ANYTHING!!!! The picture above is what I see every time I walk into my sewing room!! How can you be motivated by this??

And THIS......

looks like Joann's, Hobby Lobby, AND Hancock Fabric THREW UP in here!!!

This is my cutting table......see anywhere that I can actually lay out a piece of fabric TO cut??

These are my craft baskets that my awesome husband constructed for me!!

Look underneath.....Everything just gets dropped to the floor and forgotten!!
The gray chair with the hole in the seat is supposed to be re-covered and entered into Random Charm's Flickr pool....someday!

Well, now that you have gotten to know the CLUTTERED MESS that is me, I am off to clean....if I don't get side tracked with more sewing projects!! :D Until later....

What is a PIF?

Since I began talking about it, I've gotten this question a couple of times. As you can see by the sweet lil picture on the right, it means Pay it Forward. I had been seeing this on quite a few blogs when I came across a request for participants over on Urban Craft. So I thought, "what the heck!" I left a comment and *poof* I was in! So I got the "rules", although I don't think they really qualify as rules....more like guidelines. The best thing about it....A WHOLE YEAR to finish!! Now that is my kinda time frame!! :) BTW, you should really read all of her posts...she is witty, funny, and has got some skills in the crafting department!!

Then I started really thinking about what it means to ME. I know, I tend to go on and on about MY blogosphere, and how much you all mean to me, and how talented and special you are, and how I learn something from you EVERY TIME I read one of your posts!! Even if you are just posting about a Giveaway on another blog, it might be a blog I've never been to and might never would have found on my own. So you get the picture right? So if you would like to join me in this "Love Fest", please do!! I don't think I'll have any rules, other than maybe letting me know that you are participating, so I can link to you, and let everyone that visits me know why I think you are so AWESOME!! :)

I will be randomly choosing from the many blogs that I follow, well I don't really Follow, you are just loaded on my Google Reader, so I don't miss a post.... anyway, I feel I have gotten to "know" some of you, as much as I can without meeting face to face! So I am trying to choose items that I make that will fit what you need at the time, of course you might not GET IT for that time, but it will eventually make it to you!! :) *quick disclaimer before we go any farther...I am still fighting my sinus drip, and am currently on some meds...if I don't seem to be making sense, this is why :)*

So on with the PIF!! Elizabeth from ~E Made This! is one of the most generous spirits I've seen in a while!! She is ALWAYS making things for those in need! She is a regular contibutor to Craft Hope, and recently she made some adorable outfits for the children of a new Burmese family that became members of her Church. Such a GIVER this one, so I found it only natural for me to "give" something to her. Well actually, she just opened the package, it is actually something for her insanely cute little baby!!

It all started with a sweet comment from her about some strawberry oilcloth bibs I made. And I knew she was expecting soon and offered to make one for her little one, as soon as she knew what it would be! Well, she had a sweet baby boy!! I got her address, and MONTHS went by!! I had the bib done....just that pesky little trip to the Post Office, always gets me!!

So, I decided to "add on" to the offer, she knew nothing about the new addition, or why I was making something for her baby...I mean, we've never met or anything!! But I just knew that I wanted to make something for her, for her child....because she is ALWAYS thinking of other people's children!! :) Here is the surprise that came with the bib:

Did I mention that she plays the violin? And that she ADORES opera? She also loves to cook and puts some KILLER recipes on her blog!!

Oh look....there is a pocket, with a SURPRISE!!

It is a little star!

And the back is a soft minky!!

What an awesome Thank you card!! Love the little bird!! Noah sent me the sweetest thank you, of course Mom did all of the writing!

And some super cute pictures of him putting that taggie to good use!! You see, I might have THOUGHT I was late, but actually I was right on time!! :) Thank you Elizabeth for all of your inspiration! I am so happy to have you in MY blogosphere!

So who will be next? Hmmmm.....? Until later...

Today, she is 7!!

Ms. Priss ALWAYS gets what she wants! She didn't WANT to be born on the 4th of September, so she came TEN days later!! She didn't WANT to have her birthday party at the Zoo, she wanted it at a Bowling Alley!! So, yesterday that is exactly where we had it!! She was so excited about bowling, that EVERYTHING had to be about bowling. Hence the crown....and the tee!! Now she will always remember that her 7th birthday was all about bowling! :)
It was very nice....I didn't have to do ANYTHING, but make cupcakes...because that is what she wanted!! They are neater to eat and so much easier than a cake. But I will do a cake today, because....that is what she wants! She also wants to go eat Chinese, but I may have to think about that one!! :)
I am hoping to break free of this weather-causing sinus FUNK I have been in and start cranking out more items!! The sun is shining today, but it is raining... maybe it will clear up and get cooler today! That would be divine and put me in a much better mood....also hopefully the sinus medication will start working and that would help too!! :) Have a good Monday!! Until later...

Pretty, Pleated Purse

Well, I finally finished it!! Yay, for me!! I was so happy to receive this pattern from 10th Muse Studios! When I saw the bag on her site, I thought...that is so AWESOME! So I commented, and was lucky enough to be one of the "winners" to get the pattern for free!! As soon as I got it, I started on it RIGHT AWAY. I decided what fabric to use, who I was making it for, and read the pattern. Then I cut all the pieces and read the pattern again. Pleats....hmmmm.....it has been a while since the one and ONLY time I've done pleats, but I CAN DO IT!! So I did, as best I could. And they came out pretty good! Then I got busy and the unfinished purse sat and sat and sat! Waiting...... Then I saw that Beatrix finished her Pretty, Pleated Purse! And it sure is PRETTY! She did such an awesome job, that I was inspired to start on mine again! She modified the pattern a little, so I kept those in mind. But then I got busy and the purse sat and sat and sat! Then I saw that Dixie Mango, who is a regular contributor on the SMS Forum, finished hers. It too is a Pretty, Pleated Purse! She also did a couple of modifications, so I was yet again inspired to finish mine! Well, yesterday I put all of my other pending projects to the side....determined to finish this purse!

Here is how it came out:



It is okay....but not so PRETTY!! I promise my pleats looked much better before I started sewing it into the shape of the bag. The bottom of the bag calls for mitering the corners as you are sewing around.....I AM NOT GOOD AT THIS!!! I had to pull out the seam ripper quite a few times and finally gave in to mediocrity...really it didn't take that much, it has been one of those weeks!! Maybe if I would have remembered that Carrie changed the way she did the bottom of the purse, I would have gone with that idea and ended up with nicer pleats!!
But I REALLY like how the inside turned out! I love all of the pockets going around the bag! I didn't make them too big, so I only added a velcro closure to the biggest pocket. And it was my first time using a magnetic snap! So easy...I somehow expected it to be more involved! My husband saw it and said, "oooohh, fancy!" He's so funny! :)

So, there you have it...my version of the Pretty, Pleated Purse! Hopefully the next time I make it, it will actually be pretty! Until later...

Halloween Tutu and Birthday set

I had a request from my SIL to make a Cat Tutu costume for my beautiful niece to prance around in for Halloween. She found one she liked on Etsy, so I set out to make a similar one for her. I had a lot of trouble finding the ribbon that was used because most stores are just now starting to get their Seasonal items. Believe me when I tell you this because I went to ALL of the local stores!! I even tried looking on the internet, and she emailed the Etsy seller, who was so kind and told her where she got the ribbon, but it was a couple of years ago, and at a store that we do not have here in Louisiana. Leave it to us crafters to have awesome things in our stashes that are no longer around!! :) Well, after a couple of misses, I was able to find a ribbon that she was happy with so I was able to finish the costume and give it to her this weekend. She was very happy with it! And I am sure that Beauty will look super cute in her Halloween costume! I used sparkle tulle and wrapped some black marabou around the elastic waistband. The ears are some wired marabou wrapped around a simple black headband.




The tail is the same wired marabou "hooked" on to the waistband. I got most of the materials from Hobby Lobby. The ribbon is a wired ribbon, found in the Christmas ribbon aisle! But I had some orange satin ribbon with little cats printed on them in my stash that added the needed "Halloween" element.

Here are the first attempts with some ribbon I found, but it is orange with maroon plaid, and it was "shot down"!!


For our next early Halloween item....a birthday hat/ bib set. The baby's birthday is November 2nd, but the Mom wanted to do a Halloween inspired 1st birthday. She found a little romper online with a cute applique spider, which could be found NOWHERE!! So I had to use my embroidery software and combine different designs to make my own. I think it came out pretty cute, and stitched out well.

I got to use my Teflon foot again for the bib.....yep, still LOVE it!! It just makes sewing on vinyl so easy!! I am going to try it on some other type of "slippery" fabric to see how it works. And I am SO EXCITED that Sew Mama Sew! is doing a Pajama Month Sew Along!!!! It is what I've been WAITING for!! Hopefully it will get me motivated to make my children some much need jammies!! So click on the button, and join in on the fun!!
One last thing....this past Saturday was my Daddy's birthday!! We took all of the grandbabies to Global Wildlife and had a great time feeding the animals! Thankfully it didn't rain on us, and it was so good to see my father enjoying himself watching all of the "fruits" of his children's LABOR!! Happy Birthday daddy! I can't wait for Thanksgiving now that you have a NEW electric Turkey Fryer!! Until later...

Birthday Crown and Tu-tu Sets

Good Morning everyone!! Hope everyone is having a great week so far! I have been busy with orders....THANK YOU! Here are some sets I've finished. These are custom orders, so if anyone out there is browsing through....whatever you like, I try to do!

Aren't they so cute? I like to think that I am evolving! Alot of that has to do with all of YOU!! :)

This one is for my friend Bridget, it is for her daughter's 2nd birthday. She kept saying, "whatever you do is fine", but I would keep asking her questions until I had a pretty good idea of what she really wanted! I am always full of questions, because I know the answers will help push my creativeness to another level of ideas!!

This one is for my AWESOME friend Lisa!! She gave me a little more information than Bridget up front, so all I had to do was refine and narrow it down. Then the "is this ok?" emails began! Thank you so much Lisa for bearing with me! I hope the special little girl this is for enjoys twirling around and being a "Princess" on her big day!!

I also added a "little something" in her package. It is not a surprise because I had to get sizes from her:

Lisa is one of my "Sweeties", and makes regular comments on my posts...thanks girl!...anyway, one of the items I make which she LOVES are the little bloomers. Her "baby" is 15 now, so she is always so sad to not have anyone to make these for! So of course I suggested she make some for "jammies", she could wear a little tank top or tee with these cuties to sleep in! So I wanted to make some for her so she could get a good "look", and see how EASY they are to make. I did the elastic thread a little higher on the leg for these so they are more like the "pantaloons" of days gone by. Of course if you notice....one ruffle is not even....sorry Lisa! :) Also, I haven't progressed to bigger kid sizes, so I didn't have a pattern for the size I needed and had to go by my own judgements.....S-C-A-R-Y!!! These may be WAY to big....so Lisa, you may need to break out your sewing machine to adjust the size!! Well, it's the thought, right? :D

I am still working on orders...so I will try to post as I finish! Also, I am almost finished with a couple of PIFs, I want to get in the mail...so I may be emailing you for your address!! Until later...