loving this giveaway!

So i’ve been sick since friday so no sewing/crafting for me but in the meantime while i internet surf from my hospital bed (don’t worry baby and i are well being here is cautionary) i did find this awesome giveaway and oh so cute playhouses!!! check it out… this playhouse is the one in pining over and hoping to win! you can see all the available ones at mrs. pretty’s shop.

the fit over card tables, or she can do them custom to fit over any table of your desire. she even will do some that are tall enough for the kiddos to stand under, you just have to build the pvc frame. how fun!!! could you not just see your kids playing forever in these! imaginative play at its best!

so now that your in love i bet your wondering where you can win one, well not that i want the competion but i’ll tell you anyway cause its the cutest blog… its called Mary Janes and Galoshes.

so are you loving it?!?!?

 

Inspiration wall

Ever since we rearranged furniture to make room for the new baby I have been madly working at trying to fill the blank wall that was once covered by a bookcase. I have decided to make it into an inspiration/organization wall. so far i love it! I’m not finished yet but here is a peak at it so far….

It includes the embroidery hoops my hubby made me for christmas ( we are still planning on adding our silhouettes), and some fabric covered cork boards. I also included a clothes pin which is holding the birdie that Brooke sent me for our ornament exchange over christmas.

To make the corckboards i bought a pack at target and then cut them down to the sizes i wanted. I then covered them with the fabric scraps from my first quilt squares. I like them a lot they are adding a little inspiration to my sewing time.

Next to all this is my organization… Its a mail sorter i made from the left over fabric that i used in my living room for my pillows and glider. (incase you want to know what they look like, i plan to take a crafting break once baby is here and will use the time to go back and show you last years projects that i made before i blogged)

The pattern came from my new favorite sewing book One-yard wonders. i made one adjustment from the “Hanging wall Pocket” pattern. Instead of using grommets at the top i made fabric tabs, which a curtain rod can go through if i ever decided to use one to hang it. I also hand-stamped each of the twill tape labels….

Such a fun project to make, quick and easy. and oh did i mention i actually used the interfacing as the pattern called for! Go me for not short cutting for once!

Well that’s my wall so far, still got a few more projects to do, hopefully will find the materials i need at the thrift store to finish them. Do you have an inspiration wall? what does it look like? Link it here i’d love to see.

 

cozy feet

I hope you all enjoyed flower week, I certainly had a fun afternoon making all those flowers. So much so that on a recommendation of a friend i think i’m gonna make some to sell in my etsy shop. In the meantime I back to finishing up my me projects, almost done sewing them got one left to sew, but i have been so busy i haven’t blogged most so here we go……

For Christmas i got a gift certificate for one of my favorite fabric stores, i decided to use it for fabric to make myself a few sweet treats. The first sweet treat i made myself was some cozy feet! well some cute slippers that is. I used the Weekend sewing book, and stitched up the guest-room slippers. Being my first ever pair of slippers or shoes it had a few difficult parts but overall it was super fun to make and i really like them. i love the shinny dot fabric on the outside its very fancy!

and the inside flowers are so fun!

the soles which you can’t see are blanket stitched on which is very sloppy being my first ever attempt at it. But i did use corduroy for the soles and i like it, they don’t slip but they were easy to stitch through.

Have you ever made slippers before? know any tricks incase i decided to try it again?

 

Day 7 of smelling the flowers

So these flowers are not fabric as has been the theme all week but they were just as fun if not more so. mostly because i got to make them with an amazing talented friend, Jesi Haack. She is by far one of the most talented wedding planners that i’ve seen. i love her style! She had a decor challenge and when planning her centerpiece she thought of me  and the felted balls i made. i wanted to incorporate them into her design as Billy ball flowers. So fun!!! Check it out…

Want to make them yourself? Here’s how……

Ingredients:

1 bowl of hot water and 1 bowl of cold water (or a running faucet, but remember to turn it off in between rinsing to conserve water)

Soap (We used seventh generation dish soap but i’ve also used method hand soap, liquid seems to work best)

Natural wool roving (we got our’s at joanns)

Wood skewers to put the balls into your flower arrangement

Now to get going….

Step one- Find something to entertain the kiddos or you may find some little hands and little people splashing in your bowl of water like mine was. Maybe give them their own bowl of water in a water safe surface (such as outdoors)

Step two- Cut a piece of the roving (the large the piece the larger the ball) I recommend starting small the first time to get the hang of it. and tie a knot in the center….

Step three- Fan out the sides, but don’t separate the roving or it will cause a split in the finished ball.

Step Four- Wrap the fanned out sides around the knot in the center doing your best to create a ball/bunch

Step five- put a dab of dish soap in the palm of your hand and roll your ball/bunch through it covering it as best you can, but don’t use more than a dime sizes dab of soap.

Step Six- Dip the ball in hot water…

Step Seven- roll the wet soapy bunch into a ball shape (like your rolling play dough) every time your hands and the ball get soap rinse it in hot water to rinse off the excess soap. The bunch/ball should become a ball shape and as you continue the process you want to roll faster and with more pressure continuing to create a tighter ball. Depending on the size of the ball you are making this step may be repeated a few times.

Step Eight-  once you feel like the ball is getting pretty firm and the soap since to be suddsing less then after you dip your hot water rinse you are going to do a cold water rinse to start setting the shape. Continue to roll faster and apply more pressure. you may to repeat this double dipping step a few times before the soap is less obvious. Once you reach that move onto step 8

Step Nine- Do one final roll that is quick and with lots of pressure to get out any extra water. then set your ball to dry a bit

Step Ten- Stick ball on the skewer and place in your arrangement.

Overall each ball should take about 3-6 minutes depending on the size of the ball. Overall its a quick and fun process which you can do all in front of your favorite show!

Thank you Jesi for thinking of me! And her husband Mr. Haack and friend Melody Brandon for the awesome photos!

 

Day 6 smelling flowers….

Are you married? Did you have flowers at your wedding? I had the most minimal amount of flowers as possible. I just couldn’t wrap my head around paying for flowers particularly center pieces and arrangements. So when i got married we got creative with anything we could. I even wanted to make my girls bouquets out of tuling but my mom put a stop there. So we bought the bouquets and corsage.

Today’s flowers would be perfect for a wedding, if you so choose, or for a prom. Today’s flowers are actually two different flowers actually. Both are made using Organza. The first is a boutinere flower. But really you don’t have to turn it into a boutinere if you didn’t want to. I got the idea from my friend Jesi. She made the same flower out of paper bag, but i wanted to see if i could replicate it from fabric. Tell me what you think…..

To make it i started with square piece of organza and cut out the spiral as Jesi instructed.

I then rolled it and put a little stitch in the end to keep the layers all together.

Unlike Jesi’s i kept my flower tight to look more than a boutinere flower. When i was done i wrapped the bottom in flower tape.

It was so fun to make! i really enjoyed this flower. When i was done i knew i need a corsage to make a complete set. I had read a recent blog on making flowers out of Organza and thought i would give them a try…

To start i cut out my flower shape (I used my template from day 1), Then using my embossing gun i headed up the edges so that they would curl. I then layered each of the 4 flowers i had cut and curled, placing the ones that had curled a little more on top. When they were all layered i stitched them together in the center and then sandwiched them between a button (for the flowers center) and  a piece of ribbon (to make it a wrist corsage). I had visions of doing more to the corsage accenting it with a few felt balls sliced in half but the one flower seemed large enough and simple enough to be its own corsage for now….

this was another fun and very simple flower to make, it only took a few minutes and it could be used in so many ways not just as a corsage flower. What ways would you use this flower?

 

Day 5- Smelling the flowers…

Do you like wear flowers? in your hair? as a broach? if so how do you wear your flowers?

Today’s flower I made from scraps from a dress I sewed the week before, which you will soon see.

 

I think its my most favorite flower that I made all week! and it was simple to make….

1) cut a strip of fabric and on one edge cut a scalloped edge (freehand)

2) Along straight edge stitch a gathering stitch 

3) Gather

4) wrap strip into a circle or spiral like shape to make the flower

5) stitch the center. 

6) embellish with a button on in the center, put on a pin or headband. whatever you want to have some fun!

It’s such a fun flower! i can’t wait to wear it!!!

 

Day 4- Smelling the flowers

Do you have a favorite flower shop or stop? What’s it like? mine is a little flower stop in Carona del mar. its just a little tiny building the size of a closet but the most pretty of flowers all of which go home in brown paper. I love it!!!

Todays flowers are as colorful as the display at my favorite shop. I used some left over scraps from my first quilt square.

To make them its simple…

1) cut each scrap into a circle (i cut a straight edged circle but you could do a scalloped edge)

2) pinch the center of the back and stitch using a needle and thread…

and you’re done.  

I like the idea of the edges fraying but if you don’t you can use Fray check to keep them rough but clean.

 

Day 3 of Smelling the flowers

What’s Your favorite color? Do you pick your flowers based on the color of your decor or do you just always get your favorite color? I Love orange gerber daisies! but they haven’t always coordinated with my decor, that has never stopped me though. Something about the color just brightens my day!

Todays flower is another of my favorite colors, a mustard yellow!

This flower was a fun one to make. While at CHA we saw a worker at one of the booths wearing something similar. We never got a close up look at it, so i did this from what i think the flower looked like.

All you need is some felt and a button.

Step 1: Cut out circles, Mine aren’t perfect and yours don’t have to be either. Heck you could even cut them a little rough or scalloped around the edge to add for more texture

Step 2: Layer your circles… to do this start with your first layer as one open circle. Then you for the next layer you will fold in half two circles and lay them folds together.

I did two layers of the folded before my last layer.. an open circle.

3) Hand stitch all the layers together be sure your stitches are wide enough to catch each of the folded petals in a single layer. 

4) stitch on your button in the center.

And your done! Now you can attach this to a broach, or the trim of a scarf. How fun would it be! I wonder what i’ll do with mine.

 

Day 2 of smelling the flowers

Before i jump into the fabric flower of the day I’m curious what is the best way you’ve ever received flowers? My favorite memory of getting flowers is when my stepdad had some delivered to me at work. I had never had flowers delivered to me EVER! and I had no idea. It was pretty cool for a bouquet to show up on my desk for me!

So todays flower was a little intimidating to me so much so that i bought some at CHA just incase the ones i made didn’t turn out the way i wanted. So here is the inspiration (not the best shot as it was from my phone)…

So to make my version of the flower you will need some felt for the petals and matching or contrasting thread. for the added touches like the one above you will also need a mini pom pom for the center and some yarn.

Now to get started making it…

1) Cut out 5 petals.

2) Layer the 5 petals overlapping each other to look like a flower.

3) stitch the petals together with a hand needle and thread.

I liked my stitching so i stopped there. But to continue you on you would….

4) Stich the yarn (2 straight stitches) per petal starting at the center.

5) glue pom pom in center.

Here is my finished project next to the inspiration…

now what to do with these itty bitty flowers? My plan is to attach them to some homemade Anthropologie elastic style headbands I’m working on this week and will share next week. 

What do you plan to do with yours?

 

stop and smell the flowers

It’s february and with february comes valentines day; With valentine’s day comes chocolate and flowers and Love! The flowers are my favorite part! I love Gerber daisy’s especially orange ones that come wrapped in brown paper with no frillies! I just like them fresh-cut, plain, simple and fun! So to start off the month I thought we would spend the first week smelling the flowers or making them as is the case here. 

Our First flower is my make and take from CHA which i brought home to make.

To make this flower you need some scrap pieces of fabric and coordinating felt. And then follow these simple steps:

1) First sketch out your flower shape in 2 sizes, one large one small.

2) Cut Two of the large flower (one from felt and one from your scrap fabric.

3) cut one small flower out of felt.

4) Lay each flower on top of the next, slightly turning each time so they don’t lay identical to each other but rather fill in the gaps between petals.

5) Stitch all layers together in the center (note you can do more than the 3 layers I did, it’s all in what you want) Optional: you can also stitch the shape of the petals like you see in the CHA sample here…

6) Stitch your button into the center and your flower is done!

Now what to do with the flower? you can attach it to a pin, Onesie, broach. 

So what is your favorite flower?