Now that the Giveaway is winding down...

Well! It has been a crazy chaotic RUSH, this Giveaway Day! I have been SO BUSY responding, viewing, entering. So much FUN and I've found some AWESOME blogs that I will be visiting again, and I joined in a Pay It Forward, which I will post in a couple of days! In the meantime, this is what I've managed to do since the Giveaway begin:

That's right folks! I've got NOTHING accomplished!! :D Oh well, there is always next week!

The giveaway will end tonight at 12 am central time. So keep posting comments, I'll do the random generator thingie everyone is talking about if I can find it and figure out how to use it! Then I'll post the winner. Don't worry I'm not going to make you come back here if you don't want to, I'll track you down to let you know if you won!! If I haven't responded to your comment, I am sorry. I will try to get to everybody. I have made it to the commenter's who have active up-to-day blogs, next will be emails!! Thanks again for all of the great comments and TONS of support LOVE that I'm feeling! Until later...

Giveaway is still going Strong!

Wow!!! I am SO BLOWN AWAY by the amount of comments! I've been busy checking out all of your AWESOME blogs! I've decided that if I reach 100 comments, I will pick TWO winners! Thank you all so much for visiting me, I am trying to let you each individually know how much it means to have so many people visit and comment! If I haven't gotten to you yet, BIG thank yous! If you sew or create and have a blog, participate in the next giveaway!! It is so rewarding to have some one OTHER than your family and friends appreciate what you do! Well, I am going back to visiting others, but before I go I guess I should mention that this giveaway will end May 31st! Check back on my June 1st post to find out who won!! Until later...

May Giveaway Day!

It is finally here! I just couldn't wait and wanted to make sure I made the 9 a.m. deadline, so I am posting this at 1:45 a.m.! If you are coming to me from Sew, Mama, Sew! WELCOME! How awesome are they? I love that blog! I only discovered them last year, and since then found all kinds of inspiration from the bloggers that visit them. I was so blown away by the generosity that came from the December Giveaway that I wanted to participate as soon as they announced this one!! So here we are, and here is what you get when you leave a comment on my blog:

A tutu! Any color, length, or add-on that you want! I have a HUGE assortment of tulle so you can pretty much name your colors and I'll be sure to have it! So get to commenting, and you could be randomly chosen to win one of these...

For sizes 12 months and under I generally like to use a ribbon tie closure, but if you prefer an elastic waist just let me know. If you have no little girl to give this to, I would love to offer up a personalized bib or onesie/ T-shirt! Just check out the slide shows on the left and be thinking about what you would like for a little boy if you are the winner! :) Thanks so much for visiting, please check out all of the AWESOME blogs that are participating! You can click on the SMS button and it should lead you to their list! Have fun learning about all the wonderfully creative and generous people there are in this world!! Don't let me forget to mention that this Giveaway will last until May 31st! The great and knowledgeable girls at Sew, Mama, Sew! wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to check out ALL of the participating blogs! Until later...

Thanks for being our teacher

Now that the end of the school year has come and gone, we are trying to settle into our new routine. It will probably take the two months we have before school starts back, but that's okay! I have plenty to keep me busy, but unfortunately not too much for the girls to do. I have started to teach our 6 year old (Ms. Priss) how to sew by hand, and she does a really good job, but it only holds her attention for so long. She made me a cupcake pin cushion for Christmas and it came out pretty good, considering. Our two year old (the Middle Child) is a totally different story. She is learning to color and paint. She loves to do it and it does hold her attention, but the HOT days of Summer will be coming and staying outside to paint for too long in the middle of the day does not appeal to her.
Is it too soon for them to decoupage? This was the first time I ever did it and it is pretty addicting! I was only planning to do the tray for Ms. Priss's first grade teacher, but I was enjoying it so much that I did two Crystal Light containers that can be used for pencils or markers. And I only bought a small bottle of Mod Podge and thought that I would definitely have to return to the craft store to buy more, but I actually have a lot left over! So my question again... I have a TON of empty containers, because I never throw anything away! "I can use this for something" is my favorite line! So I think this summer we will have all new pencil holders, collection trays and boxes, and whatever else we can think of that needs a fresh new look!
Tomorrow is the Sew, Mama, Sew! May Giveaway Day! Be sure to comeback and see what I will be giving to some lucky commenter. Yes, that is right you blog lurkers! You have to leave a comment in order to win! I used to be a lurker, until the December Giveaway Day! That was the day I started leaving comments and ultimately decided to do my own sewing blog! So you never know what will happen, leave a comment, I promise I won't hunt you down if you don't like my blog! :) Until later...

Something Old and Something New

Happy Memorial Day! Now that summer vacation is officially here, I thought I would post this creation I made for my niece last summer. It is made from a standard beach towel. It worked well for her since she is long and lean. But I think for someone my size or a little more curvy, I would have more of an A-line cut. The shorts were actually made from a BABY BLOOMER pattern that I modified slightly!! That is how small this chica is!! But she got back, so I had to do a little expansion! :) I actually monogrammed her name too low and had to go back and manually remove all the stitches! I won't be doing that again! At least not with that font, it is tough! She is still wearing it this summer, but this was made before I got my serger, so the terry cloth at the front seam on the shorts are starting to run! But she has already requested new colors for this year, so...

Here is the something NEW! I finished the 40x40 quilt I have been working on! I just want to thank the recipient again for being so patient with me! If anyone ever wonders why I don't have an Etsy store or make sales over the internet the answer is TIMING!! The few brave souls who do order things from me are so kind and understanding when it comes to timing! I tell them to give me at least a month notice! Some things I can whip out quickly, but others, especially things I've never done before, take a while to figure out. And then I have to factor in my mess ups!

So next on my list...an embroidered shirt, a monogrammed onsie/ bloomer set, a surprise for Elizabeth, something for a mom-to-be to TWINS, a "baby shower" gift for my sister to give, finish up the aprons for GS, and think of something to make for my kid's summer picture this week!! So what is your summer going to be like? :) Until later...

Towels are great!

Hey there! How have you been? I have been running like crazy! The last couple of weeks of school have been very busy. First grade is sorta like Kindergarten with parties and now Awards! And then there was Girl Scouts! It will be over soon! Then maybe I can get back to sewing!! I have managed to squeeze in a little bit out of necessity. Whenever there is a birthday, there has to be a hooded towel! But I think I am running out of kids to make them for! There are a few exceptions of mom's who ask for another one, but I think the newness of them wears off and kids just want toys or money!! So I have to make it count the first time!

I have been experimenting with different embroidery designs, some I bought, but most are free from the wonderful contributors at Sew Forum! I just can't say enough about the generosity that flows from that site! I am so lucky I found them and I always want to spread the word so someone else can benefit from them. They have so much more than machine embroidery designs, they also have great information about starting a sewing business, sewing machine details and opinions, and a great "show off" page! There are also some tutorials that I have found helpful, so if you sew...check them out! I don't have a link, because you do have to be a member and sign in, but it is free, just carefully monitored.

So anyway....without further ado, here are my last couple of hooded towel creations.

I love this rocket applique, and when I finally get around to it I will use it for The boy's towel!

This was one of the first times I used name add-ons! I think it came out really cute. I've used them on the sport hand towels I did, but don't really know why I never thought of using them on my hooded towels! I was kinda in a rush, so my pictures are not that great, sorry. The add-ons are a daisy, a butterfly, and a ladybug! The big white daisy is an applique with terry and felt. The dragonfly is all machine embroidery and stitched out very smooth! This was a free design. Cute, cute!

These pictures did not do the little gekko justice. He is very detailed and colorful! The turtle is still wet because I decided to remove the stabilizer with water instead of trying to pull it off like I normally do! It pulls on the embroidery and this was not something I wanted to mess up! :) I love the brown with the green. Luckily, all gift receivers loved the towels! I will be doing two more this week. I also finished the quilt I was working on, I'll be posting later this week! Also, I am still trying to decide what I will be giving away for the Sew, Mama, Sew! May Giveaway Day! I'm thinking tu-tu, personalized bib...hooded towel? Hey, I'm on a roll! Until Later...

Finishing up...and a birthday hat!

Sorry I have not posted yet this week, I have been busy finishing up a few things. I had a great Mother's Day, but didn't finish everything I wanted to make for my mom. She deserves so many things, that it took me a while to decide what I wanted to make for her. I've settled on a simple wrap skirt and will post pictures as soon as I am done. I've also been finishing up a 40 x 40 palette quilt that I am extremely grateful to have such a patient customer!! I was so busy with birthdays, mother's day, and teacher appreciation day that the quilt just kept getting pushed back!! But it will hopefully be out by the end of the week, thanks again for being so patient, you will get an EXTRA surprise!!

I have decided that I just don't have enough to do (HA!) that I am going to participate in the Sew, Mama, Sew! May Giveaway Day. They had one in December and I had so much fun reading and learning new things from other sewing blogs! There is a link on the left that will take you to their site. It will be on May 27th, in order to win the giveaway all you need to do is make a comment on the blog! So check back on my blog that day, then click the link to go to a list of all of the other blogs participating!! There were some super cute things in the December Giveaway, so I know that you won't be disappointed!

Here is another birthday set I did for a 1st birthday! I think it came out really cute, and the mom loves it! Making these hats are so easy, everyone should have one!! :) Until later...

Teacher Appreciation

Hello to all! Well, I am wrapping up this week with some things I made for my daughter's teacher. She wears alot of headbands so it was pretty much a no-brainer as to what to make for her "appreciation" gift. These were made from a tutorial I got from, where else...Sew, Mama, Sew! The link will take you to the blogsite of the author! The instructions were clear and easy. Here they are:

They are reversible. I did the reverse side with solid colors, so she could get more wear out of them.

The school's PTC put on an awesome "International" Luncheon for the teachers. It was catered by several of the local restaurants and the 4H made sparkly flags of different countries that were hung from the cafeteria's ceiling! Very nice. We were asked to donate door prizes, so of course...PRACTICE TIME!! This is called April Bag, contributed to the Sew, Mama, Sew! Spring Sewing event. I changed it a wee bit by enlarging it and making the side slit longer so the winning teacher could easily slip in a grade book and papers to be graded. But I love how the handle works as a drawstring to close the bag. There were no pockets, and I thought about adding one on the inside for pens, and whatnots, but I was on a time crunch. Maybe next time. This is a very easy sew. Almost like a pillowcase dress so not bad time wise either. I did top stitched all around the bag, which made the bottom kinda flat, but I thought it would add strength at the bottom for the books inside. If I hear of any feedback, I'll be sure to post it.
Next up, another great tutorial. This is from one of my favorite sewing blogs, House on Hill Road. Erin always comes up with fabulous tutorials! The Coffee "go" cup cozy is from her blog. The can cozy, I improvised. I made it reversible by adding a button on both sides for closing. This was just in case the winning teacher was not an LSU fan. But I'm not sure if one of those exist in South Louisiana! :)

While the teachers were having a good time feasting on International cuisine, I was class sitting my daughter's 1st grade class along with another mother. We do better as a team, since I have to bring my 2 and 1 year olds with me everywhere I go! We surprised the teacher by decorating her room with Garden Garlands. We had the kids draw pictures of things you find in a garden, i.e. flowers, bugs, worms, etc... cut them out, then the other mom and I strung them on some yarn, and hung them all around her room! She was very excited about them! I got this idea from The Crafty Crow. They have an awesome collection of Kid's crafts, so if you ever need any ideas, CHECK THEM OUT! There is also a link on the left! Well, Mother's Day is this weekend, so I must decide what to make my mom, since the item I ordered for her is not in! Until later...

Another Birthday, Another Gift

This past weekend was also my nephew's birthday party. This is what he got! This is from a tutorial I got off of the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog last summer. I've made one before and it is super easy, so I knew that I could do this quick and easy. As you can tell we are MAJOR LSU fans around here so I always have that material laying around. This pattern says it can fit size 4-7, but you can work around it a little by widening the neck and only using one button for an "open" cover-up. This towel wasn't quite 30" wide and it still manages to fit on this 8 year old. This was also my first attempt at making my own bias tape and I used this tutorial. Very well explained, and also easy. It is actually a tute for making piping to go around a "box" cushion, so you get 3 for 1! Awesome. Have I mentioned how much I love the Sew, Mama, Sew! site? They link to an insane amount of crafty sewing blogs with wonderful people who give the best instructions! And if you ever have any questions, there is a forum section where you can find out anything! Everyone is so helpful!

Here is another view of the cover-up:

Well, I am back to the machine to finish up what I'm doing this week. Until later...

The Boy's First Birthday

Well, if you have been missing me, let me show you why...

These were the party favors for my son's first birthday party. It has pretty much been consuming my sewing time. There was a total of 15 T-shirts, 3 pillow case dresses, and 1 bib. I also did a birthday outfit for him to wear.

It was my first attempt at a party hat. Very easy! I used stiff felt square from Hobby Lobby. Just traced a pattern from an existing party hat. I did make it a little bigger so I would have more room to embroider on. I could have come down with the name some. I will be doing one for my niece sometime this week and will use the lessons I've learned from making this one!

The bib for the birthday boy, and this one for a guest is made from a vinyl table pad with a black corduroy backing. The table pad material is a little bit thicker than regular vinyl table coverings, so it make it easier to machine embroider on.

And instead of fighting the hoop to applique on an infant onesie, I decided to make pillowcase dresses for the three baby girls. Just a simple white cotton with no lining makes this a good summer dress.
Everyone loved the "thanks for coming" gifts, and I saved money from not having to buy a bunch of cheap toys and candy! It just cost me time and a little piece of my sanity! :)
This week I will be finishing up a quilt order, the girl scout aprons, and I am going to attempt this cute bag tutorial for the Teacher Appreciation luncheon door prizes. Until later...