vintage tin...

I bought this little tin at Michael's for $2.99 knowing that I wanted to embellish a container to package a Christmas gift in.  My original intention was to spray paint it white and go from there but as usual, my lack of patience got the better of me and I went straight to the embellishing.  Even with the metal tin, I think it has a decidedly vintage look to it.

It really was a simple project with a big pay off...

All I did was cut a piece of designer scrap paper (6 x 6 sheet from Pixie Glen by Prima), distress the edges a bit with Chestnut Roan chalk ink and add a hand made flower.

The twisted rose was made from a strip of white muslin that I soaked in good old Lipton tea bags.  I found a matching bead in my stash and layered it on a squished and turned piece of vintage seam binding. 

I have a couple more of these in the works plus some fun stuff to tuck inside that I hope to share soon.

Oh, the fun of it all...

Patty

pink pillow ornaments

I went to visit a pink loving friend yesterday and wanted to give her a little something to thank her for her hospitality.  She loves Christmas and her beautiful decorations have been featured in Romantic Homes and Romantic Country magazines so I knew whatever I made she would make look special.

I have seen little felt pillows like these in magazines and they seemed like they would go together easily enough and allow plenty of room for embellishing...my favorite part.

It was fun working with pink and white since my Christmas decorating is in more traditional reds and golds.

I went through my stash of lace, pearls and buttons and found everything I needed.

These were so much fun (and quick) to put together that I think I'll make a few up for stocking stuffers. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Christmas season is coming along wonderfully!

remember me...

I really had no intention of being away so long.  I have been crafting but for whatever reason just haven't taken the time to blog about it.

Now I don't know whether to show you from oldest to newest or just show you the most current.  Since it's mid October (I know, I can't believe it either) I think I'll start with this super easy quilt I made for the living room.

I say super easy because it started with a panel that I just trimmed out with a couple of borders, a little straight line quilting and into the washer it went.

It's pretty easy to see who took ownership of it already...No problem, that's what quilts are for, right?

I promise to be back soon with a few other crafty projects.  Patty

me and my dolly...

I am having such a good time sewing little girls dresses that my quilts and such have been placed on the back burner.  The simplicity of the dresses mixed with beautiful quality fabric has me bewitched.

Isn't this American Jane fabric adorable.  I purchased it a while back to make a quilt for my grandson but since that hasn't happened yet (nor is it in the near future) I couldn't resist using it to make a little dress for my nieces, little girls first birthday.

Of course, I added some covered buttons...

and a beautiful red gross grain ribbon tied in the back just to finish it off.

I thought about buying her a Dick and Jane type book to go with it but then it dawned on me (at work while I was staring out my office window) that a little, old fashioned cloth doll would be darling.

I made a rough sketch right then and the wheels in my head began to turn in overdrive.

Last night I had a chance to make one up, with a matching dress, of course.

I just love it!  I have some adjustments to make to the arms and my daughter says the head looks a little gumbyish so I will tweak that a little but overall I am so happy with her sweet face and playability.  My three year old grandson loves her, too and has asked for a little boy doll of his own.

I was careful to think of a toddler playing with her so I made sure that nothing could come loose and cause any kind of choking hazard.  As tempted as I was to use buttons to embellish, I stuck with simple embroidery stitches and think it looks quite charming in a rustic sort of way.

I hope she will be drug around, chewed on and played with for years to come.  The best thing is she is completely washable.

The doll pattern is still in the tweaking stages.  I'm hoping to add the dress and matching doll to my items for sale in a Christmas craft show I've been ask to sell at.  What do you think?  I'd love to hear...

Patty

Simplicity pattern# 5695

the bags...

I finally took a minute to snap a few pictures of the purses I've been working on. 

The pattern was really easy once I figured it out.  Unfortunately, the instructions left alot to the imagination but I have since rewritten them in a more user friendly (to this user anyway) version and the purses go together in a snap.

They are alot of fun to personalize and embellish, too.

As you can see, I haven't gotten over my smitteness (did I just make that word up?) with covered buttons and have used them once again on these bags.

The pattern is See & Sew 4271 and the fabric is a combination of Amy Butler and Riley Blake.

These will go into my stash of Christmas gifts...What are you working on?  I'd love to hear...

just because...

I was invited to lunch at a friends over the weekend and wanted to take her just a little something to show how much I appreciate her hospitality.

She is a note writer so I thought a few beautiful "just because" tags were in order.

The paper is from Pink Paislee and it's so pretty it didn't require much embellishing at all.  The beautiful sentiment stamps are from Papertrey Ink.

I love making these little tags almost as much as I enjoy giving them.

I've been busy sewing up a storm so I'll be back soon to share some more.

pucker up...

I've decided on a pattern for my Christmas bags.  I've been gathering fabric from my stash plus adding a few new ones and plan on starting to cut them out this afternoon.

Before I begin, I wanted to share one more sundress that I just finished using some beautiful fabric my mom gifted me with.

Isn't it beautiful?  The "pattern" was shared by Girl.Inspired here. (She has the most beautiful blog.)  It was a snap to sew together.  This was my first time using elastic thread to make the shirred puckers and it really was so simple.  I even pulled a couple of my tops out of the closet and added a few rows of puckers.

Of course,  I had to add a covered button yo-yo flower just because they are so fun to make!

I'll be back to share my fabric and pattern for the bags soon.

Hope you have some fun puckering up this week!

watermelon sundress...

My daughter and I took the grandbabies to the local farmers market last night.  The weather cooled just enough to make for a really enjoyable evening.  After a little fresh fruit sampling we headed home for bathtime and hot air popcorn.  It's become kind of ritual to finish off an evening at grandma's house.

I'm sure by the time I've finished adding salt and butter I wiped out any of the healthy benefits of air popped corn but they love to watch it pop and if you've ever tasted air popped corn you know it needs a little help in the taste department.

Once they were off to bed, I headed into my craft studio and finished the little sundress I've been working on for my local fabric store The SewNSew. 

This is the first time I've added fabric covered buttons and I love the little extra detail they add.  Since I know I will definitely be using these on a regular basis I hunted down an online source through Etsy called Cutiestuffs. 

The fabric is Lil Miss Cutie Patootie from Red Rooster Fabrics, (it's available at The SewNSew online) the pattern is a Kwik Sew pattern #3035. 

It really was quick and easy and one I will be using again and again.

Next up...I'm not sure.  Be back soon to share...

finished quilt top...

I finally had a chance to take my finished quilt top outside for some pictures.

Even outside this is one of the most difficult quilts to get a true picture of.

The colors are much more vibrant in real life.  Once it's backed, bound and quilted, this one will go on the sofa in the living room.

Fortunately I had enough 2 1/2 inch scraps to make a pillow for the recliner.  I love when that happens.

Next up is a sweet dress for the local quilt shop and then it's time to get busy on Christmas gifts.  I have some gorgeous Riley Blake fabric for purses that I can't wait to get started on.  I guess I better get back to my sewing machine now.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

a new block in the mail

I came home from work to a sweet package with a brand new Fat Quarter block of the month and I realized I never shared the first block with you.

Isn't the fabric amazing?  It's part of the Strawberry Fields line from Moda.

This first block is called "Sweet Pea" and it was designed by Bonnie Olaveson and Camille Roskelley.  The instructions were great and the block went together really easily.

I can't wait to start on the next block.  It looks more complicated and there are alot of different fabrics involved.  But I'm all in...

I finished the quilt top I showed you last time.  It just needs to be ironed and then I will take a few pictures to share with you.  I love the way it turned out.  I'm going to try and photograph it outside so that the colors will look truer to real life.

Be back soon.

quilt progress...

Take a look at the strips I've put together with the fabric I shared yesterday.  This is one of my all time favorite patterns.  It was super simple to cut using this technique from Cluck Cluck Sew and the squares are very easily chain pieced together.

It’s the same pattern I used to make last years Christmas quilt and I’m also using a smaller version to make my scrap quilt this year.

 It feels so good to be quilting again.  I’m in the groove and don’t see an end in sight…for a while anyways.  I know my crafting A.D.D. will kick in soon enough and some other craft will call my name but for now I feel the call of the fabric and I am loving it.

I’ll be sharing my first Fat Quarter block of the month very soon.  I finished it just in time as I think the next one will be in the mail any day now.

fresh fabric...

I had so much fun playing with my fabric over the long weekend.  I debated whether or not to finish up a project, use up some scraps or really indulge and pull out fresh fabric.

I bet you can tell what won out...

I picked this Heather Bailey fabric up in Houston this past spring during a visit to my sisters.  It was at the front of the store and I was immediately drawn to it.

I don't know how you shop for fabric but I have to walk the entire store before I pull a single bolt out.  It's funny how it's usually the first bit of fabric love of the day that I end up buying but I have to make sure I see it all first.

I was able to cut and piece an entire quilt over the weekend but I thought I'd tease you with some fabric love before I show you my progress.  Love, love, love this fabric.  It was a dream to work with.

More to come...

pretty little dress...

I finished this little girls sundress for my local fabric store, "The Sew and Sew".  It's a Simplicity pattern I've made many times before but I still love the finished product so I keep making it.

I actually intended to make a cute ladybug apron but I just wasn't feeling it and I knew this little summer dress would be adorable in these bright colors.

I brought home fabric for a couple more little girls dresses and a little boys romper and since it's a gazillion degrees outside I think I'll just sew my weekend a way.

I hope you have a safe and happy 4th of July celebration...

 and may God Bless America and those sacrificing to keep us free.

muted papers...

I shared the inspiration for this layout last time.  I thought the sepia picture really suited this color scheme.

I use paper from Pink Paislee and a couple of Martha Stewart punches for the butterflies and flowers.

Of course the subject matter is oh so dear to my heart!

I have my sewing machine out and ready to go so you'll be seeing some fabric goodness next...