Catching Up

I've been down with a cold since last Saturday and my two girls were out of school early every day this week for Parent/Teacher conferences. So needless to say it was a very unproductive week!

I've got so many projects on the drawing board, it was killing me! But I'm back in the saddle again and I have been able to finally finish stippling my quilt! I'm so excited about how it turned out and I can't wait to wash it to see it in all its crinkly goodness.

Since this was my first time stippling it was fun to see the improvement from where I started the quilt to where I ended it. I noticed my style was large and "floopy". Next time I'm going to try to do it smaller.

I'm now busy binding! This is also my first time binding a quilt. I've always made baby blankets in the past and they were just envelope style. So this is so fun. Can't wait to do the next quilt! I found the stippling very therapeutic. But then all crafting is for me:).

Here is a preview of my next project...hint...I've been needing a basic tote bag.

Love in the Mailbox

 

Seriously...is there anything better than new fabric? Well there is! How about new FREE fabric? That comes in a package in the mail? It does not get any better than that! I won this fabric in the Quilt Home link of the week giveaway!! I am going to make my girls new skirts. I'll post when I'm done, but it might be awhile (see previous post).I am a happy girl!

(BTW, fabric is all Michael Miller. The blue/green is Pillow & Maxfield's Large Whimsy and the Pink is Paula Prass's Woodland Bloom).

Going For It!

I made this quilt and basted it back in well, November! I was going to try my hand at machine quilting - stippling. I have never done this technique before and I was pretty nervous about it. So I put this quilt on the back burner and then Christmas rolled around and well you know how it goes. 

I finally decided that I had to get this finished before I started anymore new projects.

So I'm doing it, I'm stippling! It is nowhere near perfect, in fact it has so many flaws that it now has "character":). But I'm so proud of myself for going for it and I can't wait to finish! 

Valentines

 The girls had their Valentine parties at school today and got to bring their valentines in to hand out to friends today. Didn't you just love that when you were little? I remember carefully writing my classmates names on the cards and adding a few conversation hearts to each envelope. And then getting a valentine from everybody was the best (even boys, wow!).

 

So when it comes to giving out valentines I get as excited as my girls. But I can't do just boring old cards! I found these darling printables at my favorite digi-scrapbook site Shabby Princess. Sophie filled hers with a heart eraser and some candy treats.

Maggie filled hers with red cherry heart gummies. I just love the little peek-a-boo windows on these. If I'd had a bigger budget and more time I would have added some ribbon and bling. But I still love the way these turned out.

The girls were so excited to take these in and I know they will love showing me all the goodies they got too.

Now my big question is what to do for my wonderful hubby?

Janome Sewing Machines Giveaway at DIY Dish!!

One of my favorite sewing sites is YouCanMakeThis.com. Well the sister team who started it now has a site called The DIY Dish and they are having an awesome Janome sewing machine giveaway!

Go enter today!

On a funny side note, I was in my local WalMart and I had a cute shopping cart cover for my baby on my cart and a nice lady stopped and asked me if I had made it. Then she asked me if I had heard of the site YouCanMakeThis.com. Yes! I love that site! It turns out that she was the mother of Kim who started it! It was so fun to meet her and she was so proud of her daughter.

Butterfly Birthday Set

 It's my beautiful niece's first birthday and I wanted to make her a special outfit. Her mom is an artist and loves color and little Xochi has gorgeous big blue eyes. I thought this would hit the spot.

It's made with one of my all time favorite Amy Butler fabrics- Gothic Rose, and her pink Coriander. Plus Patty Young's turquoise Clover Dot from her Mezzanine line. The pattern I used was Girly Stripwork from Pink Fig Patterns.

For the butterfly I used Steam -A- Seam and appliqued on the fabric pieces. Then I heat set the rhinestone "bling" and embroidered the antennae. I used a special stitch on my sewing machine and stitched around the edges. I like the way a frayed edge look.

Happy Birthday Evangeline Xochil!

Valentine Lavender Sachets

 

Had to make some Valentine versions of these cuties!

The first one I made a yo-yo and added a button and embroidered felt leaves. 

  

I love this version.

It has a rosette and added embroidered felt leaves.

 Follow my tutorial and go make one! Go on, you know you want to. It's super easy, go! 

Don't have the time? I have these listed in my Etsy shoppe!