Organization

That is my New Year's Resolution. I resolve to be more organized in 2009. Isn't organization the key to a successful business, family, life...etc...? I ordered business cards, actual professionally done business cards. Not the ones I did on my computer and printer. I will think about brochures later. I will start a new slideshow for 2009 creations. I have noticed that it is getting kinda long. That is good for me because I get all that experience in my creation making, but not good for you who like to see new things and have to get through all of the old things. So I will learn how to organize the pictures so it is easier to view the new things! Speaking of which, this is not new, but I have failed to photograph and post my version of the diaper clutch.

I don't think it is very original since I got the ideas from the lovely community of sites to the left. I just took different ideas and combined them. I think the next time I do one it will not have the elastic because it makes the clutch less boxy, which some people might like. I don't mind it being kinda bunchy because the elastic makes it easier to pull out the wipe case and diapers. Anyhow, here are some more pictures of it so those interested don't have to sift through the slideshow to find it.

I did the inside with a soft flannel so it could be used as a mini changing mat also. It is not very big so it would be easy to put in your purse or you could carry it on your wrist for quick stops into the grocery store without having to bring in the whole diaper bag. The dimensions are 10 inches by 5 inches closed, and 10" x 16" opened.

Well, I'm off to finish up last minute things before the New Year. Have a safe night. Until next year...

R-E-L-A-X-I-N-G

Yes, that's right! I managed to get mostly everythig done for Christmas and it was very rewarding. The girls stayed at my folks so I am breaking in their Christmas presents. Just me and the boy, hanging out. I should be cleaning, but how can I on such a beautiful day. Yes it is like spring in the winter time here! If you could see my plum delight in the picture to the right, it is in bloom! This crazy weather is confusing the poor thing! Here is a better view...

Isn't it beautiful? I know it is supposed to be a bush, but I want it to be a big ole tree someday, so I just keep trimming the lower branches and letting the top go wild! Anyway... I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I did! Look at all the wonderful things my family got me.

My folks got me the serger. My awesome man got me the bobbin winder, cutting mat, quilting book (which I think is a hint!), and a handheld digital picture viewer so I can show off all of my creations to any interested passer-by! Ms. Priss did a wonderful job hand stitching me a cupcake pin cushion! Now I can finally get rid of the dreaded TOMATO! Yes, I should be motivated to start creating soon, but....those hammock chairs my folks got the girls are just too darn comfortable. Until later....

P.S. I added some of the gifts I made to the slideshow. But I noticed on the new doll, which has been lovingly named "Molly", I forgot to put a bow in her hair. I will be correcting that on New Year's Eve. Be Safe.

Pajamas at school

Yes you read that right, Ms. Priss got to wear her PJs to school today. It is Polar Express day so they will be doing all kinds of fun activities in their pajamas, like the book. And of course me being the good little seamstress I wanted her to have all new, freshly sewn PJs, yeah right! Time is not my friend right now so she got to wear her favorite store bought pair instead. Did I mention that a birthday invitation came home from school this week? Well, we have a party to go to Saturday, and I had to do a quick gift. Here it is:

I think it came out ok, and Ms. Priss approves so that means it is ok. What else have I been doing instead of finishing Christmas gifts you ask? These!
Yay! They are done, now I can move on to the stuff I am suppose to be doing! I think they came out pretty good considering it was my first attempt. It took me a while to figure out how to get the top cuffs on straight. Next time I won't sew them into a cuff until after I attach them to the stocking, it will make it much easier. I hand embroidered some of the details, it is probably hard to tell in this picture. I also machine embroidered the snowflakes. I thought the buttons added a little charm to the polka dots and dressed them up a bit. It was also an alternative to putting snowflakes on all of the "girly" ones. I have added these pictures to the slideshow on the side with some different views. Now back to the sewing machine, I WILL have gifts done by Christmas!!! Until later...

Getting it done, little by little

I am starting to think I might actually get everything done before Christmas. I have to keep thinking positively for it to keep me sane. We got the tree decorated, with ornaments, and figured out how to light the star. Now if I can just keep the boy and the middle child away from it. The man keeps asking when I am going to put presents under it. Is he CRAZY? There is no point to that nonsense. They would be unwrapped so fast...

Yesterday, "the boys" worked their fannies off to get everything moved in and down the hall before the 21st birthday celebrating could begin. I know, I am a slave driver making the eldest work on the day before his 21st bday. I might let him off today since it is his bday, but we still have to paint and put the carpet down before Christmas eve so time is a wasting!

So in the meantime, I am working on our Christmas stockings and making progress! I still have some work to do, so hopefully they will be ready to hang before Santa comes! Until later...

Producitve Weekend?

I don't feel like it was even though I managed to finish a couple of quilts for an order. And I did manage to get the lights on the tree. As you can see, it is just the lights. And the star is unlit. I am not sure why it is being so stubborn, considering I used the same lights last year, the same star, the almost same configuration. So WHY is my STAR NOT LIGHTING? I had to replace two strands of lights already on the tree, I mean already ON the tree! Wow! How much fun was that? We will do the ornaments tonight, and I hope to have our new stockings done today so we can hang those too. I really wanted to have all of this done during the week, but that just wasn't going to happen. So I guess that is why I don't feel like it was a productive weekend. I did manage to get stuff cut and arranged ready to be monogrammed or sewn, but only time will tell if I have time to get everything ready for Christmas! The quilt order is a *spoiler alert* because the intended customer has not received, nor seen them, so if you are reading this (you know who) I hope you like them. And now we just have to figure out how to get them too you! Because of the flannel backing they are way heavy, and I'll have you know the children tested them out and gave their approval. And now they are washed and ready for delivery. I added the pictures to the slideshow on the side, but here is a looksee

I tried the flannel backing because I wanted to see how it would do, plus it made it heavier and warmer. It also added to the thickness, so it makes it a good winter weight quilt. I feel ok posting these, because 1. I know she can't wait to see them, and B. They are gifts for kids that I don't think will be reading my blog. All the gifts I make for Christmas won't be posted until after all the receiving and overall jolliness of the holidays are over.

Speaking of gifts. We are getting an early one this holiday. Our, almost 21 this week, son will be returning to the nest. Albeit it is only temporary, I think it will be good and bad. The good, it will give me a chance to move both "the boys" into the big guest room so I can FINALLY get the last downstairs bedroom redone. The bad, it will add to my already LONG list of things I have to get done in a hurry! So if I am absent from this blog for some time you will all understand why. I will try to post new completed items as soon as they are done, but we will have to see how time will treat me. Until later...

*Snow Day update. I have to say how jealous I am of everybody who got MORE snow than we did! And I think that is EVERYONE judging by the awesome pictures I've received.

Isn't she sweet?

When we were first married and had little money for our first Christmas, I did what anyone in our situation would do. In addition to making most of our ornaments and stockings, I pillaged my family's stuff. I went to my granny's house and asked if she had anything she wasn't using, and like all good grandmothers she offered up anything and everything she had. This sweet little angel was one of my finds and now that my granny is no longer with us, it just makes me treasure this angel even more. This Christmas will bring both sorrow and joy for our family. We had to say good-bye to our beloved granny this year, but we were also blessed with three new additions to the wonderful family that she created and held together. I know all of us will be thinking of her and smiling because we know she is watching over us and will always will be with us in our hearts.

On to a lighter topic, we got our tree yesterday. It took all of 3 minutes to find "the one". Now it is sitting and waiting to be brought in and decorated tonight! I can't wait to start wrapping those lights! Ok, so that is my least favorite part, but it does make the tree look so pretty and sparkly! Ms. Priss has already picked out which ornament will go on first. I have yet to get a First Christmas ornament for the boy, but I'm thinking about leaving the house today to get one. Here is our tree... undecorated.I have also added a few things to the slideshow on the side of this page. I monogrammed some bags for someone, and finally took pictures of the children's Christmas outfits. Until later...

It Snowed!

It's beginning to look like Christmas! We woke up this morning to snow! On the ground! That didn't melt! In south Louisiana! Needless to say the children were very excited! So was the Man, he couldn't wait to wake everyone up. Even though the schools DIDN'T close, I decided to let Ms. Priss stay home. So I probably won't get much done today. We are going to get our Christmas tree this evening. We went Monday, but they were all out of 10' trees so hopefully today they will have some in. The Man didn't want to go anywhere else because he would feel disloyal to our regular tree people.

Anyway, back to the snow! I still can't believe it. It has stopped for now, but they think maybe later... But of course it will not last. By the end of the week it is supposed to be back in the 70s! My poor sinuses will never get better, and it is hard to create with a sinus headache. So much to do, but never enough time. Well, the Man just called, he has decided to call it a "Snow Day" and work from home. So maybe I will be able to get some sewing done today. I still can't believe the Parish didn't close the schools today. Don't they realize that people who live in the south do not know how to DRIVE in the SNOW? Oh well, one last look then I am off to do some work. Until later...

Another Day

Well, it's a bright new shiny day, ok maybe not so shiny, it rained all night and now it is cold and dreary. But that is good sewing weather! Time to pull up my socks and get to work. I am trying to be more organized and less scatter-brained. If I set a sewing goal for the week, I think I actually might get all my Christmas gifts done before Christmas!
When I opened my browser this morning, this was my quote of the day, "I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it." - Pablo Picasso
Isn't that so true! I think I need to figure out how to permanently post this to my blog! Anyway, I thought that was a good sign that I will get much accomplished today. Maybe I spoke too soon... the middle child just woke up, must tend to morning duties. Maybe I will be back, maybe I will be sewing, maybe I will send out emails to my friends and family to let them know I have a blog in which to view my creations. Whatever I am doing, hopefully it will be after breakfast and a shower. Until later...

My very first post

I am not sure quite how to start. I have been reading other people's blogs for about 5 months, but now that I am starting my own I'm blocked. I guess I'll start at the beginning. My name is Lauranie and I make stuff. I made three beautiful children and now that that is over I have decided to create beautiful things. Well, beautiful and practical things, and since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, someone has to think my things are beautiful! It wasn't very difficult to start this blog, just time consuming. But it is also time consuming to get photos of the things I make to everyone individually, so this is the lesser of the two evils, as they say. Now when someone asks if I have a web page I can say, "yes!" Well, sort of. I am also still learning about this blog, so I am not sure how to fit stuff, link stuff, stop stuff...so until I get it all figured out, please bear with me and all my errors.
The slideshow on the left is of my creations. Those of you know me, know the things I've made, because something in that slideshow might belong to you. I am a self-taught sewer and creator, and it probably shows in my work, but I can see the improvements and I thank all of you who support me (emotionally and financially) because without you, I would be nothing! :) I also want to thank the links on the side of the page, because without them, I would know nothing! Sew, Mama, Sew is SOOOO AWESOME! If you sew or create or just want to visit some pretty awesome blogs go check them out. And they sell stuff too. Good fabric.
Well, because it took so long to set up my blog I have no time to say more. So I'll post more later and hope I can figure stuff out by then.