I'm late to the party, so most of you probably already know about Simple Sparrow's challenge to use what you have in the month of April.



I feel a little like I'm cheating, because in the month of March I ordered a bunch of fabric from here for some surprise projects, and some scrapbook paper from here for an anniversary album for some friends that are getting married in May. I also (guilty grin) ordered the Denyse Schmidt fabric fat quarters from Cia's Palette. I guess this just gives me even more reason to use what I have, since I should have absolutely no justification for buying more of anything!!

Some folks have already started this challenge, and you can see the results here on Flickr!

I have been dying to make one of Hillary's wonderful wee bunnies ever since she posted the free pattern. Well, here is my attempt!



I used the same flannel as the blanket, and left the edges raw so the bunny would coordinate. I embroidered a little face so it would be infant-safe (as much as I loved Simple Sparrow's wonderful sneaky bunny with the beads and button). My embroidery needs some work! Hopefully this gives a little bonus desirability to the auction!

Update: More wee bunnies can be seen here.

Labels: sewing

My owl from Little Dear came a while back, and I finally remembered to take a picture of it! It is so perfect, I smile every time I see it.



I am getting quite a collection of wonderful handmade items that I eventually want to display in my craft room. I even know what I want to make as a display. Like everything else, of course, it's a matter of getting around to actually doing it! One of these days...

What's the best thing to do when you have a pile of unfinished projects and a long list of gifts to make? Why, make something new for yourself, of course! I finally couldn't resist the temptation to use some of the wonderful Japanese fabric my sister got me for Christmas...



I had some perfect red fabric with little blue and pink flowers that looks great as the lining. Of course I've already filled the purse up with my stuff! A girl can't switch purses too often!



I made this tote using my usual tote pattern with a little modification - it is square, 9x9", and the strap is a little thinner. I used a little coordinating grosgrain ribbon, and red top-stitching. My husband even said "ooh, pretty!" unprompted when he saw it!

Amazon free shipping is dangerous to me. I bought some books the other day for my twin niece and nephew, since their birthday is coming up. I needed a few more dollars in my order to qualify for free shipping, so somehow this ended up in my shopping cart!



Other books currently on my Amazon wish list:





Any other recommendations?

I mentioned a few posts ago that I was going to make a flannel blankie for our youth group's auction at church. I found some adorable flannels on sale at JoAnns, and went for squares instead of the strips I used for my last rag quilt. I love it!



See the things my husband puts up with? He's holding the blanket up so I can take a picture of it. This was so much easier than trying to take a picture of it on the floor! Check out this adorable bunny fabric:



This blankie was so fun to make - despite my sore wrist after snipping all the seams. It is so cozy, I think I want to keep it! Well, I can probably part with it, since it's for a good cause.

Labels: quilting, sewing

I am going to Virginia in May, and my sister told me they just opened a new Paper Source in Alexandria! Even though the trip is over two months away, I am already excited about going to see their wonderful shop.

My mom made a trip to the shop when she visited my sister earlier in the month, and got me a Drop Spine Box Kit. She picked out some wonderful paper that I can't find online - I'll make the box soon and show you when I'm done!

My sister sent along some notecards with this pattern:



I love everything in the Camden Fair line. In addition to the notecards, she sent a scrap pack of paper including some of that same paper.

I think, after the Camden line, the Italian prints might be my favorites...

  
  

Man, I am going to be in trouble come May, when I get to see all this in person!

There was a great sale at JoAnns, and I picked up some cute fabric to make a couple summer skirts. For the first one I followed a pattern, and I ended up having to fudge it a little, but I think it will still be cute (as long as I wear a long tshirt so you can't see the messy zipper). The other one I made using an old skirt I have as a pattern, and it fits perfectly, but I didn't realize the fabric is really see through. So, they're both cute, but not quite wearable yet...



The pink fabric is so cute, embroidered with sequins, very sparkly.



So I need to hem them both, and the pink one needs a lining, but I had to share. I made skirts! And they fit!

Labels: sewing

I've been adding a few new crafty blogs to my blogroll over there. You should check them out if you get a chance!

Creative Little Daisy
Simple Sparrow
Steph's
Twee Bakeshop

I really don't like posting without pictures, but I have nothing to show you! Hopefully that is just temporary - I have many, many works in progress! In the meantime, go browse some of those links and check back soon, this dry spell can't last forever!

We have a ton of projects going on around the house right now. We put lights in our front yard (so pretty!) but still have to bury the wires, we are in the middle of painting just about every room in our house but never quite finish, we're trying to get our sad, weedy lawn ready for the brutal Texas summer...

Needless to say this little blog has been quite neglected! I have crafty works in progress, but before I can get them up, I need to put things back in order around the house. I don't function as well when there is no order!

So I will leave you with a picture of one of projects in progress. I hope to have the "after" picture quite soon!



This room was quite recently a very boring white. When the painting is done we'll be hanging white molding to divide the two colors. The quilt in the foreground was the inspiration for the colors. It will be hung on the wall when the room is done. I can't wait to get this room put back together! Okay, I'm off to paint!

Every year our church has an auction to raise money for our senior high kids to go on a cool trip. For a few years now, they've gone up to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota to canoe in true wilderness. We got to go along as "chaperones" the first year they did the trip, and it was an awesome week. I'm not sure where they'll go this year, since the pastor that organized the Boundary Waters trips is leaving, but hopefully it will be somewhere great.

To get to the point, I volunteered to make a handbag for the silent auction part of the evening. I wanted to test a new idea, inspired by the Japanese craft book I recently ordered (I couldn't resist the Japanese craftbook craze!!). Here is the prototype for the auction:



I cut up an old faux suede skirt to make the strap. I forgot to put a pocket inside, and I think the strap is a little too narrow, so I'm glad I practiced before making the auction one! Plus, now I have a cute new purse. Just what I need! Here is the inside, very simple:



I also got all the flannel to make another rag quilt for the auction. I think I'll do this one in squares instead of strips. And I just found out my neighbor is pregnant with twins! So I have an excuse to make more blankets! I am in crafter heaven...

Wow, it has been an embarassingly long time since I last posted! It's not for lack of trying... today's pictures, for example, were all taken over a week ago, but it has taken me this long to get them online! Sometimes life intervenes.

So. That easy blankie I made a few weeks ago was SO easy, I just had to make more. In fact, I went a little crazy.



This blue blanket is for an online auction at work to benefit the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. I volunteered at the end of the year to be our group's team captain, and I am really getting passionate about this cause! My aunt's breast cancer diagnosis last week just drove home why I'm involved. The blanket is currently going for $30!



At the Christmas sales a few months ago I picked up this awesome flannel with Christmas trees and hot pink deer. This is going with my Christmas decorations to be discovered and cuddled next year. It is a lot bigger than the baby blankets. I used a fun scalloped satin stitch on the edge of this one.



And this one is going in the closet for a future shower gift! It seems to be that time when my friends are starting families, so I know it will find a good home. I tried a smocking stitch (I think that's what it's called) on the edge of this one, and I love the way it looks!



I'll be using the daylight tomorrow to take some more pictures to prove I haven't been completely lazy! Sorry for the long silence.

Labels: sewing