Nap Mat Time

I had to share this Tutorial I found online by Jenny Garland. I'm so pleased with the way this little nap mat turned out. I love how it rolls up nice and neat - love the button closures and has a pillow and blanket attached. The foam padding comes out, as well as the pillow insert (my addition) so that the entire thing is washable. The only thing I changed was the pillow - I put a pillow insert inside with button holes for ribbon ties on the sides. The side of the mat has velcro along the side for easy removal of the foam.I also had a little flub up on the amount of fabric and ended up buying 1/2 the amount I was supposed to - so that's why you see the plaid color on the strap and button tabs. I ended up using a vintage sheet that was in my stash.

Hope you like it! Check out Jenny's blog for the complete instructions - I'm so glad I did!

Old Sheets=New Lounge Pants

I've finished my first pair of lounge pants from my Indiana stash of vintage goods. I'm loving them so much I think I may have to keep these for myself! Here is my first example of Tatting - it's sewn on with the sewing machine, which I know is probably a faux pas, but in the interest of time, and well, interest, I decided to just stitch the heck out of it with my machine.

I added black velour to the waistband and black satin ribbon for the drawstring. I just love the black next to that wierd 70's green.

What do you think....should I keep em? Or sell them?? We'll see....

School Days

mmmm.....mmmmmm......chocolate milk for breakfast........

All ready for 1st grade! (Little brother couldn't pass up the chance to have his picture taken too)

Here she is - the big 1st grader. New outfit, new shoes, and pretty bouncy curls.

Love you baby!

Diaper Wipes Cases, Book Bags, Pouches, Wristlets, Cute Little Bags, Vintage DooHinkies, Thing-a-Ma-Jigs....whatever you wanna call them....

I've been working on this order from a dear customer for a stack of diaper wipes pouches - only she uses them for books...so, I'm not sure what to call them now. So many uses, so many names, what the heck - they're just cute little bags.

Here is "Breathe" completed. I've got my list of quotes, sayings, and plain words to start embroidering on other stuff....sort of liking this idea more and more.

Here we go with your basic use - diapers and wipes. Thankfully, we are moving past this stage in my babies lives. My boy is all over the big boy underpants now -

"Mac" and I are getting along quite well today - I actually was able to drag my photos around. Not sure what I did differently, guess we're just getting used to each other. Pretty cool computer.....

Sidetracked and a Bit Frustrated

I've been trying to knock out a stack of my diaper/wipes pouches lately in an attempt to fill an order from a lovely customer of mine (who by the way is using them as cases for books) and also to restock my Etsy shop, which is looking a bit flimsy lately.

My sewing room (or dining room as some people like to call it) is a complete mess, iPod is jamming to my favorite tunes, coffee is hot and steamy....and my little boy comes trotting in with his best friend - "Puppy". Puppy has seen some better days and desperately needed his silky tummy fixed. So instead of working on my Etsy projects, I managed to get Puppy fixed.

He looks much happier now, don't you think??? I think I see a smile while he's spread out on the operating table :)This is a pouch I'm working on to list on Etsy. I've been eating a fair amount of chocolate lately- big suprise, NOT. - Dove Dark - and love the little sayings on the inside of the wrapper. So, I've decided that it would be fun to start embroidering some verbage on my stuff. I'd actually like to make it a little edgier (than just "Breathe") - but we all need to take a breathe now and again anyways, right? I'm making a list of words and sayings that I'd like to use, some are a little out there - but thats sort of the point, thought provoking, you know? Trying to get some inspiration from my music, books, etc.

So, I'm frustrated because I'm working on a Mac now - and for the life of me, can't figure out how to move my pictures around on my blog posts! Anyone???? It's got to be so completely easy a chimp could do it, but it's eluding me.

Loving the computer, but a there is a learning curve.

And would someone please tell me why children must play within inches of my body when they have an entire house, filled to the rim with toys, a doggie to chase, a back yard??

Aww well, they'll grown up soon enough and then I'll long for the days..........

Blood, Sweat, and new Vintage Patterns

I really do put my blood, sweat and tears into every project I make - as evidenced by the picture above. I had my morning planned - sewing supplies purchased (or so I thought), kids playing (or destroying the house, however you want to look at it), I was ready to dive in and get some creative time in. Well, not too far into it I realized that I forgot to purchase velcro from the store yesterday which put a delay in the project I really wanted to finish. So, instead decided to cut out more pajama pants out of the really cool sheets I brought back with me from Indiana.
Should have closed that cover on the rotary cutter - OUCH! Hate it when that happens. Don't worry, I'll cut around the blood stain on the sheet...
So, I've been wanting to share these patterns I brought back with me also. They all came out of my mom's stash. So, most of them were used by her. Do you remember the chicken door stops? or was that just me? I sure remember my Raggety Ann doll mom made me. I gave her a bath in the toilet, poor Ann.


The little turquoise rob came to me one Christmas - only mine was quilted mustard yellow with little red flowers.
This one cracked me up! Can't say I remember Dad wearing a rob at any point, but Mom swears she made him one. I'm threatening my hubby with the plaid one on the right. The guy on the left looks myteriously like Burt Reynolds. I think the guy in the middle is scared to death his wife will make him the robe, and the guy on the right is thinking "Why did I pose for this stupid picture?" pretty funny.
These were all some dresses Mom made for herself. I'm thinking it'd be fun to try them for myself, during my spare time....yeah right.
So, I'd love to do something with these. I've seen adorable decoupage items that others have made from vintage patterns. I won't cut them up - I'll make color copies of them if I do that.
Do you have any vintage patterns? Have you sewn with them? Done some other craft with them?
Kids are bickering.......better go referee......and get a band aid for my hand, it's dripping now.

Ride Em Cowboy- My Boy is 3!

Just couldn't let this day go by without some extremely cute pictures - biased I know - but you gotta admit - pretty cute, huh? If you can't be proud of your kids, then what can you be proud of??!We celebrated my boy's 3rd birthday on Saturday with friends, cake, ice cream, heat, and presents. He wanted a "horsey" cake so I hauled my hiney to every craft store in the metroplex looking for this cake pan - luckily found one hidden in the Elmo section. I do think it turned out pretty darn cute, but lets just say that frosting can hide a multitude of errors!We also celebrated in Indiana with some pretty blue cuppie cakes. Three spankin's and a pinch to grow an inch.......


This is "Jack" the bouncy horse- he was my brother's first, then passed on to my sister and I. He stays out in Papa's barn and the kiddies love riding him. My boy had a ball playing on him this visit.
Notice the big boy underpants?? Yes, he's potty trained! Yippee Yahoooooo Cowboy!!!!!!
We love you baby!!!!

Rhubard Crunch.....Yummm, Yummmmm

I love Rhubarb and I can't get it here in Texas, so I love to eat it when I go home to Indiana in the summers. My mom has it growing in the garden - loads of it, so we grew up eating loads of it each summer, or so it seems. Here is a recipe that I made while home during July - you might like to try, if you can get your hands on rhubarb.

Rhubarb Crunch

1 cp flour
3/4 cp rolled oats
1 cp brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Mix until crumbly. Press 1/2 of the mixture into an 8x8 inch pan.
Cover with 4 cups chopped rhubarb.

Mix together the following in a medium saucepan:
1 cp sugar
1 cp water
2 TB corn starch
Cook until thick and clear. Add 1 tsp vanilla. Pour mixture over rhubarb. Top with the rest of the crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.
Serve warm with ice cream.

Hope you enjoy!

TwiCon 2009...Since I know you're just dying to see....you are, right??

Here are just a couple of pictures from my weekend in Dallas - we had a great time! Met lots of people who share the love of any and all Twilight. If any of you are reading this and considering a TwiCon trip - you may want to check out another option. I have to say that the organization was terrible. It seemed we were promised a lot of things that didn't come to pass. All in all, I'm thrilled to have been able to go and spend a weekend away with friends. But we made our own fun.
Here are some of the highlights:
Being totally immersed in all "twilight" for 4 days
Doing something totally self indulgent and silly!
Not being embarassed to wear all of my Twilight t-shirts, buttons, excellent twilight jeans, etc.
Meeting lots of other "twihards"
Feeling that talking about Twilight all day, everyday with 3000 other people, is totally normal!
Watching the Twilight film with 500 other enthusiastic fans
Seeing the actors...well....sort of...the "volturi" were a bit too strong handed, and again, poor organization - but the actors themselves were all very entertaining and nice
Seeing Bobby Long, Marcus Foster, and Sam Bradley perform at Poor David's Pub
Meeting Bobby Long, Marcus Foster and Sam Bradley
Expanding my musical tastes - check out National Rifle and 100 Monkeys
Attending the Volturi Ball
The Vendor Hall was fun - if a bit small -
Reelz Channel - for Everything Twilight!
The Hillywood Show kids - they had the best attitude - always able to get a laugh!
My autograph from Alex Meraz...one of the "wolf pack" Our Most Awesome Twilight Jeans being modeled - oh and our "Alice" vests....all quite normal at this venue, I assure you.

Yes,...I know Edward is not real...but, hey this is the closest I'll ever get....just for giggles :)

Life would be so dull if none of us persued our passions - which is really what this blog is about, and what being creative is about. I'm glad that 3000 other people decided to express themselves and their love of a book. And, I'm also glad that I can sew, craft, and create and share those things with you. We shouldn't be embarassed about what inspires us and expands our lives. Doing new things and meeting new people who are passionate, inspires me to be more creative, I hope it does the same for you!

See - I can relate twilight to crafting and sewing......(laughing at myself!)

The County Fair

Just had to share some pictures of my kiddos at the County Fair. They saved their money for 6 months in order to buy their own chocolate milk (25 cents/cup) at the Farm Bureau building.....mmmmm...mmmmmm.
These are my kids and their two little cousins from Indiana...won't be long and they'll be too big to fit in the wheel!
My girl - she looks like a natural, don't you think??
Pioneerland.....kids loved it - they made ropes with their Papa all week......
We love the fair - the kids had such a great time. They like to spend a good portion of it in Pioneerland, which is fine with me. Lots of things for them to do - and it's educational, and they are spending time outside, and spending time with their grandparents and friends.
We had such a nice visit this year - perfect weather (as far as I'm concerned - 80 degree tops weather the whole time!)

My new "Junk"

Here are pictures of my piles of new "junk" that I found in Indiana a few weeks ago.....lots of embroidered goodies, lace goodies, crocheted trim, etc..... These are pillowcases...not sure what I'll do with them yet - but excited to have some new patterns to work with.
Then, these are the sheets - probably destined to become pajama pants.....the green sheet on the right has super soft and has this perfect 5 inch or so edging - it'll be perfect for the bottom hem of the pants.
This is a bark cloth drap I found....I love working with bark cloth - it's really sturdy for bags and pouches.
Slowly getting myself back into the swing of things and getting caught up with mail, bills, returning phone calls, etc. all the stuff you have to do after being gone. Three weeks worth of good down time, fun time, not much house cleaning, cooking, laundry time!
My hubby has been gone too - headed up north fishing - I "tried" to get the lawn mowed this morning, but after being bitten by fire ants, practically dying of heat stroke, and having the mower die on me (there's a little trick to get it going again, but I'm not privvy to that knowledge, guess it gives the man of the household something to hold onto since he's not mowing the grass these days), I caved and have a very nice boy mowing for me at the moment.
More pictures to come...! Oh - and I love tatting! I've actually made a little ditty to show you!