Getting Big

Little Veggies are growing strong in the house. Waiting ever so patiently to make the big trip outside...

On the Growing List this Year - 2011

1. Tomato's - a must have!

2. Crook Neck Squash

3. Cucumbers - so expensive at the grocery right now? don't know why?

4. Peas

5. Green Beans

6. Beets

On the Cutting Table...

Cherry Blossom fabric. I really loved the orange an green with the little flowers. I thought the fabric was 30% off when I had it cut, but I was wrong. I guess if I read the signs better I would have seen that it was the shelf below that was on sale.  Oh well -- Thank goodness I really enjoyed the fabric.

This quilt will be made up of 3 1/2 inch squares.

and 2 1/2 strips. I am hoping to have it to the long arm est this weekend. I will post more pictures when finished. I really like the look of fresh cut fabric. It looks so quite and perfect just waiting there on the edge of the table. Patiently waiting to twisted and sewed to assemble a great little quilt. Then I love when it is washed and crunches up and looks like a loved item.

Saturday Night T.V.

I like watching the PBS on Saturday night. They host two great BBC shows that I enjoy watching. I usually can watch them in peace because my children find them boring and as the little one would say this is taking too long. This week the show was about changing times. In the show there is an little old lady who would spend the entire year making bobbin lace (lace made completely by hand using a series of bobbins and thread) only to find out that when it came time to sale the lace to the shops, they were no longer wanting the bobbin lace. They could order loom lace (machine lace) much cheaper and in a larger quantity.

Well that just broke the little lady's heart. She went on to say how bobbin lace was a passed down talent from a mother to a daughter for generations, and that nothing but love went into making her lace. She often felt as if someone else was guiding her hands to make such beautiful and delicate items.

This story really touched my heart, (it could be the hormones right now) I could ever so agree with her. Hand made items always take longer then a store bought item. You never fully recouped your full cost of the item supply yes but labor no. But much love goes into making a item and much pride in placed in something well made.

7 Weeks and Waiting . . .

Little Friends are waiting on the shelf.

Each on of my children have a monkey friend. These little monkeys are made in a continues round of crochet. I like making monkey's because each monkey is a little different, just like my children. They all come from the same place - but each on is different.

Car Seat has a new clean cover and a soft liner all washed and waiting... I am questioning how 3 children are going to fit in the Honda - some how we will fit.

A great Vintage Mirror... Very Heavy! I love that the glass is bevelled and there are little bubbles in the mirror. A great find at the Thrift Store!

Little friends hang from the ceiling to welcome a new day. These are made from scrap fabric and extra batting I had a t home. I like how chubby they turned out - plump fat birds. I stuffed them hard rather them soft since they were going to hang from the ceiling and not be toys.

The letter cards were also a great find at the Thrift store. I like that they are only in a two color print (Orange and Black). I also find it funny that the letter G has a picture of a Gun - in stead of something like Glue, Giraffe, Gorilla, etc. The room is far from done, but well on it's way. Just like most things in my life...Lots going on, lots in the waiting, but nothing quit done.

My busy Day's . . .

Projects are building up here in the house... Curtains that need trimmed, Ironed and Hung...

Vintage fabric that I have been saving for the right project. These are going to be bumpers. Still need trimmed, bound and stuffed. Another project waiting.

Yarn, Yarn, Yarn . . . a blanket, a doll, a hat, and a horse all started and just waiting. Again projects just waiting.

Finally a finished stack of hats. These will be going on the etsy account. They are patiently waiting to be photographed.

A Pocket for a Present

Little Monsters that are so kind...

They hold items safe and sound...

Each one a little different...

I made these little monster pockets to hold

#1 a smart phone

#2 a IPOD (classic)

#3 a IPOD (shuffle - 1st generation)

I don't have a pattern for these little pockets. I do have the measurements for the items and I just go from there. I like making the monsters the best. For my little niece I did do flowers -- a little more girl... I always keep a drawer of scraps of fabric I save all sizes of scraps. You need just small pieces of fabric to make these little guys. I use stitch wonder, iron bond, stitch witchery (there are multiple types of iron on bonding) to fix the monster to the base fabric. This way I can stitch around the little monsters without them shifting. In the past I have used Velcro or a zipper to close the top, but this time I tried a snap. Velcro works good, a zipper requires more work, so I thought we would see how a snap works out. The little pockets are lined with fabric and batting in between to give it some padding. These make a fun gift and are pretty fun to make...

Something New . . .

I love making items with my hands, I like to stay busy, and be creative. I love to crochet, sew, paint. I usually give all my items away as gifts or to my children.

(Sometimes I worry I am the aunt in "Christmas Story" that makes Ralph the pink bunny suit.) ~note to self NEVER make a pink bunny suit!

But with the economy the way it is... and my strong feelings that I need to be home with my children. I need some supplemental income. I have decided to open an etsy account in the hope that my small talent can help. I am very nervous about doing so, but like I tell my children

[The only true failure lies in failure to start.]

So stay tuned - - I hope to have the etsy account open in the next two weeks. Along with a few life posts...

Thanks for Reading!