Merry Christmas!
23 Dec 2010 1 Comment
It has been forever that I have blogged! And my worst fear has happened. My one yard challenge has been compromised…yes that’s right. I received my next yard of fabric before finishing the previous months project. Trust me, my moral crafting compass took a major hit on this one.
But in order to salvage some of my character, please let me present the following sewing projects that I have completed during this busy month.
Family Christmas stockings!
And this one for my new nephew, Ole! If you have ever attempted this style of stocking, you know how much I must love him!
more stocking love
Then I had a flash of genius! I realized that I could combine Christmas with my stuck project! So my sweet niece will be receiving this little number…
hello little crayon apron!
My daughter received one of these for her birthday from a dear friend of mine! She loves her’s, and really, who wouldn’t?
I do have month 8 fabric ready for action, and plan on getting right to it when the holidays are over…and I will be weeks away from child #2…hmmm
Necessary evils
05 Nov 2010 2 Comments
in new fabric, something for the kiddos
I have been avoiding posting my project for Month 6. I think it is because I have issues with the mainstream marketing of my project.
Here it is…
What is it?
So, some of you may know immediately what it is. Others may be thinking I skipped a few steps. It is a nursing cover. With a little one coming in January, I know it will come in handy. I know this because with Freya, I had more than one situation where this cover could have spared the random pre-teen boy, or airplane passenger way to many details.
My issue comes from the lame names that pass the marketing test on products like this. Case in point. When I was looking for price’s and tutorials for this project, I came across this site, www.uddercovers.com. I have a personal problem with the name udder covers! But don’t the mom’s on this site look thrilled to be wearing the latest styles of “uddercovers”?
Anyway, if you have any sewing skills and want one of these for yourself. Do not plop down $35 to people who need to hire a new marketing team. Simply follow this tutorial. It was super easy to follow.
Also, thanks for all your kinds words regarding my daughters toy house! She loved it! Those who are wondering if I would make one to sell…I actually said these words when making it, “I am having so much fun making this, but I never want to do it again.” 
Also, I got month 7′s fabric! More mushrooms!
Month 7!
woodland shrooms
Month 6, birthdays, and other shenanigans.
16 Oct 2010 5 Comments
in new fabric, something for the kiddos
I can’t believe month 6 is here already! This marks the downhill of my year long fabric sweepstakes. I love the fabric this month and immediately knew what I was going to make with it.
Month 6
Month 6 close up
Love the colors!
Besides waiting oh so patiently for this months fabric, I have been busy with a few project from the back burner.
I found this tutorial long ago and have wanted to make at least one for my daughters room.
Hanging book display
It keeps some of her favorite books within easy reach, (and easy to put away)
The tutorial is really easy to follow, a novice sewer could complete this project, no problem!
Next up, Freya’s birthday present. I don’t know why I have been putting this off for so long, because I may have had more fun making it than she will have playing with it!
The main pattern came from the inspirational One Yard Wonders book, which is sprinkled all over this blog. I am pretty happy with how it turned out, just a few mistakes here and there, my husband says it gives it a shabby chic look… what do you think?
Birthday house
Inside!
Family room, complete with family photo
I printed off a family picture on fusible fabric paper, it turned out great!
Ok, one more….
whoo, whoo
I used fabric scraps from my overwhelming collection, including many contributions from my One Yard Storey’s winnings! You should seriously consider making one. The possibilities are endless, I could see an ice house for the MN fisher, tree house, school…really. If you have a child in your life you need to make this for them. My hope is that it keeps her busy on trips, restaurants, and other less kid friendly places. I’m on the look out at garage sales and thrift stores for a cute, retro, modern family to fill this house with love.
Mom, can you help me open…
24 Sep 2010 3 Comments
These are the words I heard as my daughter walked toward me with the jar of buttons we were going to pick eyes from for this months project.
Apparently, she did not really need help opening it because this is what happened next….
Who can feel me on this moment? I mean, big deal right? Buttons are scattered all over the floor. So why do I have to catch myself from sharing a few harsh words with my daughter? Thankfully, I grabbed the camera and by the time this photo was snapped, I realized that I did not want her to have a memory of me yelling at her for spilling buttons. I would much rather it be for putting a snake in the mean girls desk or something like that.
And now that the buttons were spread out so nicely we could find the perfect eyes for Sally,
We decided to take her to Minnehaha Falls so she could feel more at home, being a stuffed mushroom dinosaur and all.
I really like her, but if someone has a convincing argument as to why they need this little cuddler, post it and you may get your very own Sally the dinosaur!
Month 5 is here!
05 Sep 2010 1 Comment
in new fabric
Month 5
I am so in love with this months fabric! I have visions of a cute little dress for Freya! Who by the way enjoyed her third Great MN State Fair!
my first corndog
Where we not only ate, saw lamas in costume, and played farm; but also found time to do some crafting!
lamma costume contest
fair craft
I hate you, double fold bias tape
26 Aug 2010 3 Comments
F.Y.I- If there was a sub title for this post it would read, “I am not a perfectionist.”
It feels like it has taken me forever to get going on month 4′s project. I suppose it could have something to do with being 5 months preggo. But I have made other One Yard Wonders…
Like this bib for my new nephew Ole.
Ole's bib
I found this vintage fabric eons ago and have been waiting to use it for someone special. (Enter subtitle “I am not a perfectionist”). After I finished it I saw light stain in between a green truck and red car. “Great, now what.Well, it is a bib… for a baby. I mean the thing is going to get stained.” So I gave it to my beautiful sister-in-law, told her about the stain, and hope she still loves me.
Ok, on to my project.
First, here is a shot of my workspace.
workspace
I don’t have a special crafting room, just my cleared off kitchen table and two hours during my daughters nap. So when the project’s directions started talking about “making your own bias tape”, my left eye began to twitch.
First of all, bias tape, there is nothing sticky about you. It would be so great if in fact you were tape. I would just stick you on and call it a project. But no. You need to be cut,ironed, folded, ironed again, folded, and yes, IRONED again! Then you start talking about 45 degree angles, and I am done. I give up. I embrace my non-perfectionist self and do it my own, messy, ugly way. Does it make the project look “homemade instead of handmade”? Yes.Do I care? Not enough to spend precious nap time trying to figure you out.
So here it is folks, my (dis)functional Month 4 project!
Month 4 project
Notice that I am not sloppy enough to show you a close up of my bias tape.
I still love them, and so does Freya. She got right to work testing them out for me…
Play kitchen
What do you think. How do you decide which character qualities to embrace and which ones to work on?
Month 4 fabric is here!
01 Aug 2010 4 Comments
in new fabric
Is is just me or does it seem like this month’s fabric took FOREVER to get here? Not that I am complaining, but I found myself stalking the mail carrier, suddenly suspicious of his ethical convictions. (would he dare steal my month 4 fabric?) Of course not. The good people at Storey Publishing probably just had a few more things to get done before sending out free fabric to patient people across the country.
Here it is…
Month 4
I am really excited about it! I love it when fabric has bright colors that stretch the color wheel. Plus, fabric with birds is so hot right now. (please read with a overemphasized, sarcastic, fashion world voice)
Well, back to my reality. Which right now includes my 2 1/2 yr old singing “I poop on my butt” to the tune of The Sound of Music’s “So long, farewell”. Good luck not humming that one for the rest of the day.
Do people still do that?
05 Jul 2010 2 Comments
This is the main question I have heard when I tell people about my month 3 project. I finished “Granny’s Clothespin Apron” from the treasure One Yard Wonders. I know I was planning on the picnic placemats (which would have been adorable), but when I saw my friend Andrea hanging her clothes out to dry, dredging back and forth to the bucket of clothespins, I knew she needed this…
Granny's Clothespin Apron
I admit after making it a strong urge came over me to put on my Little House on the Prairie bonnet (thanks Natalie) and go hang some clothes out to dry. Instead, it is going to Andrea. Consider it a thank you for allowing us to share some space in your garden!
On a technical note, I did not use the binding cut from the fabric. I had some pre-made bindinig lying around that worked just fine and shaved 20 min. from my project. Also, check out Storey’s site for this projects (and others) corrections here.
And the winner is….
28 Jun 2010 1 Comment
Jenna Plonka! Good thing there were no rules about being related to me or my family members with this giveaway.(see post) Jenna is my husband’s cousin. She is another extraordinary woman I am proud to know. So proud in fact that I feel the need to expound a bit…
When we pulled Jenna’s name out of the PBR baseball cap, I started thinking about the passion fruit filled cupcake my daughter and I shared at this delightful bakery, The Salty Tart. It looked something like this, 
Like Jenna, this cupcakes exterior was lovely, so sweet, and white with innocence. But when you bite in and discover the tart, spunky passion fruit, you realize there is soooo much more to this treat than you could possibly discover with just one.(maybe I should have gotten Freya her own cupcake…). Jenna is a woman with many talents, she is a purposeful parent, dedicated to friends and family, and a talented artist.
This may be stretching it, but I thought I would include this recipe I found for passion fruit cupcakes. Or this one, a chocolate version! Perhaps you could test out the apron by making one of these with your equally delightful family!
Or you could just travel to Minneapolis to taste the original version…
The apron is on the way!
Don’t read this Abe!
16 Jun 2010 1 Comment
I am holding off on my monthly project to sneak in a birthday gift for a friend. Abe is the son of my dear friend. He turns three this week and after learning that he is “all about rockets”, I thought I would try out the “Rocket to Dreamland” pattern in One Yard Wonders.
Just a bit more about dear Abe. He is the sweetest, most loveable, handsome little boy. Don’t believe me? Check this out. Abe’s mom happens to be an extremely talented photographer. She is responsible for the photo at the top of my blog and this one of my own almost 3-year-old…
Freya Halloween 09
you know we have already schemed their wedding…well at least prom.
OK, back to Abe’s birthday gift!
Rocket to Dreamland
Now I am on the look out for a sweet astronaut or alien to slide in the pocket, then this cozy rocket will be ready for dear Abe!
