2017 Isn't Finished Yet...

Well, I just thought it would be next year before I posted again...

My schedule from week to week is never the same.

I've shared with you before how I sometimes am so busy

I can't think straight, and then there are weeks where

I have time to "play"...in my sewing room.

That room is my favorite place.

Recently, I've had time to play.

A friend of mine hosts a cookie swap every year.

Part of the fun is a jewelry gift exchange.

I made this bracelet to take as my gift to give.

I didn't know if it would be received well or not.

It's a bit unpredictable what folks will like,

My gift ended up being one of the last ones chosen.

The lady that opened it loved it, and many then began to ask if I made it.

(I have a reputation.)

I was glad she liked it.

Something else I've been busy making are these microwave bowls.

You place a bowl in this fabric contraption.  Then you can reheat your food and remove

it from the microwave without burning your fingers/hands.

I have made over 25 of these in the past few weeks for gifts.

A nice, practical gift.

Another fun gift idea I found were these modern Christmas trees.

I took a Styrofoam cone and wrapped it with strips of VERY soft fabric.

I then used a tiny, shiny trim as a finishing touch.

They're great centerpieces for tables.

I hope to make myself some for next year.

AND...

I made yet another doll box.

(I think I am obsessed.)

This one was inspired by a picture my sister and I saw in a magazine.

We were flipping through some magazines when I was visiting her at

Thanksgiving, and this page caught my eye. 

She said, "That would be a cute room box for you to make."

The clouds opened and I heard angels singing...

Isn't it cute?!?!

This is a "before" distressing shot.

And this is "after"...

I had a ton of fun painting this.

I still need to make some furniture for this room.

That will be another project for another day.

(and I'm sure a future post)

NEXT...

The blue/green fabric in the upper-left corner is a recent purchase.

Sometimes when I buy fabric, I can see what I want to make.

This fabric came with a "vision" of sorts.

BUT...

I felt I needed to rethink my plans.

So I pulled out a few other pieces to play with and see what struck.

Well, the only thing that struck was confusion.

I hemmed and hawed over this fabric for DAYS!

Yes, days.  About 3 of them.

I was so frustrated.

I get afraid to cut something because I wonder, 

"what if..."

What if...I think of something later that I wish I had made with that beautiful fabric!?

What if...I don't wear what I make...?

What if...I regret making that cut?

So sometimes I spend extra time sorting through ideas

JUST TO MAKE SURE

it's really what I want to make...

and that I will wear it.

I LOVE Project Runway.

It is probably my favorite show to watch.

I remember something the designers say

OFTEN

when they are stumped 

OR

once they've made something

and have regrets...

"I should have gone with my gut."

or

"I should have stuck with my original idea."

SO...

After fretting for DAYS over what to make,

I went back to my original vision.

I made a cute top and am in the process of adding

some wonderful embellishments.

SO...

you'll have to come back and see the finished project.

Trust me...it will be worth the wait.

Inspiration for this next project came from a catalog.

I saw a picture of a bright, embroidered belt.

(the lightbulb turned on)

"I can do that!" I said to myself.

My version is a bit different.  I didn't embroider mine.

I simply used some bright fabric!

This was my process:

I started with a canvas base, added some background fabric, and then

placed some cut-out motifs along the middle.

I used a bright, floral fabric.

(It's actually a tablecloth from World Market.)

I used a product called Steam-A-Seam to adhere the motifs to the belt.

I did some stitching around the motifs just to keep them fastened down.

This belt will receive some wear and tear, so I wanted it to all be secured.

I stitched it and turned it.

And this is what I got!!

TA-DA!!!!!

Can't wait to wear it!

We have a friend, Luke, who likes to come spend time with us in the sewing room.

Luke enjoys coloring, and he brought his supplies the other day to spend an afternoon with us.

As we were getting him ready to head back to his apartment, I snapped a few shots of his pencil collection. 

WOW! 

WHAT FUN that was.

See...

I took some shots of my daughter's coloring pencils that she keeps in a can too.

I had more fun taking these pictures!

I'd like to turn them into some fabric...

Hummm...

Another post for another time, right??!!

And finally, a couple of pictures of Echo sitting on my sewing table.

She likes living on the edge...

Love this sweet girl.

See you next post!

Santa's Workshop

The past few weeks my sewing room has looked like

Santa's workshop...

messy, but productive.

There were a few things I had to keep 

under wraps. (Is that a pun?)

Anywho....

It's time to load the pictures.

In an earlier post, I showed a box I turned into a little room.  

Well, I did another one.

My sweet girl is making dolls and she has 3 that will share this one

once she gets them made.  She and I make a good team.

I had actually picked a different fabric for the outside, 

but when we went to get it, it was sold out!

So...we came up with another plan and I think

it turned out even better than our original concept.

I LOVE the "fawn" printed fabric.

If I was having another baby, I would definitely be using that fabric.

But that ship has sailed...

I LOVE these little handles we found.

I made a tufted headboard.

That fur thing is supposed to be a bear rug.

"Supposed to be"...

Two of the dolls will be stored under the bed when the box is closed. 

The third will rest outside the bed storage area.

I did another box for my daughter's best friend.

The doll that the 2 girls made is a "fox" person with fox ears and long,

orange-red hair.  I do not have a picture to share, but trust me when I say it was

adorable.

I covered the back wall with a Tim Holtz fabric that looks like old wallpaper.

I added vine trim to give it an outdoorsy feel,

and made a pillow pit.

There will one more room box made before the year is out.

You'll have to come back and check on that.

I also like to make "rooms" out of lanterns.

I used a chandelier ornament to hang from the ceiling,

and bought some battery powered lights to make it shine.

The tree is temporary.

My sweet daughter will be making me a harp and stool to set in this "room".

Now to show a couple of finished sewing projects that I promised to show in my next post.

I gathered some coordinating pieces, boots, and leggings, and

THIS turned into

THIS...

This is my variation of one of Tina Givens

dress patterns.

I like adding the fabric collages, and 

leaving raw edges.

There's something about that deconstructed look...

I find it romantic.

This shows details of the raw neck, button closures, and a fabric strip I sewed down the front.

And this industrial mix...

turned into THIS:

The fabrics had an industrial feel so I added

"SUPPLY"

to the arm.

It is SO comfortable.

Something I'm obsessed with are tuffets.  You may remember

the one I made for the guest room. (It can be seen in a previous post.)

WELL...

Someone came up with the idea to 

turn them into pin cushions,

and I HAD to make one.  It is a kit you can buy. (Color wheel pincushion).

Nothing short of adorable.  Don't you agree?

I used the same fabrics I used on the "real" one.  

LOVE THIS!

It also fits well in my doll boxes...

I see a few more of these being made in my future.

I have to share my daughter's edible cell project she did

for a science lab.  She did a great job.  She's LOVING biology.

And just some final shots and thoughts...

While my daughter and I were out getting shots of my sewing projects today,

our sweet chickens were taking a sun bath.  We lost one of our chickens in the past

few weeks.  A chicken's life span is 5-7 years and she was 6.  Her name was Zoe.

She was a golden-laced Wyandotte.  She was our oldest.  The others are 5 and 4 years old so

I know in the next year or so we will likely lose our other girls.

They have been such a joy to have.

And finally...this picture is an oak leaf hydrangea. 

These colors were so stunning I just wanted to add them here to share with you.

Thank you for looking at my blog.

I may not post again until after the new year,

SO

Merry Christmas

and

Happy New Year.

May God bless you and yours.