winter around the house

Here is our shower curtain for Christmas. The ornaments were little in comparison to the tree, but were cute none the less. When I take them down (it is O Christmas day today, guess I should take down the real tree too) I'm going to put more snowflakes. We finally have snow, but not the snowman kinda snow. When we do that one, I'm going to make a snowman to put at the bottom of the tree.



And last night, I just HAD to stay up late to change the Christmas bunting to a snowflake bunting.

It came from a mini kit at michael's before Christmas. I sewed the flakes on with a button.


Just a little bit of winter to bring inside....

thanks for looking,
Amanda

tiny world pin cushion and a heart

Here is the 2nd of my tiny world pin cushions. My 1st can be seen
here

The originals can be seen here on Mimi Kirchner's blog.

Do you like the scallop on my light blue water? It's a scallop blade for the rotary cutter. How cool is that?!! I need to work on the ball. Like, to actually make a ball instead of only half a ball. I noticed that she has more world on top. Hence, the need for a ball.
I'm not very comfotable creating my own yet, so I'm copying various elements from her collection. Aren't they just lovely?


Oh yes, there is another tree, it fell off on my ascent to the attic. Love the little sailboat. And how nice to take a picture in the window on a bright day. No flash. yeah.

Missy moo wanted a heart on her orange purse, so mama obliged. I may make a few of these pins for Valentine's day. easy, quick and fun.


Thanks for looking,
Amanda

few odds and ends

Whew! We're back home from a whirlwind visit to my sister in laws. I drove through every type of winter weather in 3 hours. in the dark. with a sleeping family. Lovely to visit, Glad to be home.

So here are a few things I made for my godson...

He really enjoys the felt cubes I made for him here, but the quality of felt wasn't standing up to baby drooling and chewing very well, so his mommy took it away. Being the auntie that I am, I made him a new block from fabric. And put some ribbons around it. The funnest thing about this block is the square of chip bag I sewed in one panel of the block. it crinkles! now he chews on it to his content and the ribbons have frayed as I hoped they would.


I also sewed a little square with ribbons and the chip bag liner. Here's a little tip... turn the chip bag so the silver foil side will be visible on the outside. I put the words facing out and you can see them in the block. Makes for a cute story. Their house is full of hockey fanatics, so the fabric is appreciated.


And another little birdie for the tree.( template is from Fa la la la Felt mentioned here.
this is how I finalized my ornaments this year. Just a straight stitch with enough thread at the end to crochet a loop. And a bit of stuffing in the body.


I still have to photograph the DS case I made for Rafael and the pile of sewing books I got for Christmas. When my headache goes away, I'm hoping to go visit my serger. It's waiting for me.....

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

New Year's wishes

Howdy!
Just popping in with promises of some recent sewing projects. We are visiting family and I have to get the camera, card reader and computer organized at the same time to download pictures. Later.

Here, we are getting ready to prepare the New Year's eve celebrations with family and friends. There is snow here, so the kids are liking to .... look at it? not because they've been outside playing in it. Rafael has gone out to play a bit of hockey. 1st time. and with the big boys. He couldn't understand why everyone was trying to get the ball from him and not let him score! I think we need to put him into some team sports. :}

Neve is all over the baby, playing mommy. I'm so glad we had the boy 1st. If she was the 1st born, she would have driven me nuts with the constant mommy-ing. But learning nurturing and compassion is a great life lesson.

Anyhow, much eating, relaxing, lots of cleaning up and maybe, maybe I'll get a chance to make a little something today. Went to "Club Tissus" yesterday. A sewing store. Got many notions I've been looking for for some time and some wool roving. Just little ends of balls I'm sure, but enough balls and variety to delve into something new and make my own felt beads. If time allows, I'll go back today to get some polka dot fabric I forgot to get yesterday. I like buying fabric when I'm away. When I make the item, it reminds me of where I've been.

So, to you and yours... have a Happy New Year, in what ever shape or form it may bring.

Happy New NEW
Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Car Cozy

I got this tutorial from
Handmade by Jill

Who in turn credits the idea from
My Little Gems
I made the orange cones and traffic light on my own.

I used repurposed fabric for this one. The outside was an ikea cutain in a previous life, the inside was my husband's pants. The print fabric on the bottom is a recent purchase from Fabricland.


I so love making these and have made a bunch for birthday prezzies. Please, as requested by both originators, do not make to resell.


I'm off to clean my room to play with my new to me serger! I got a grown up serger! with lots of coloured threads to boot! And i have some Ikea fabric we picked up in Portugal that I've been saving for a new choir bag. But i must clean my room first. maybe not.....

thanks for looking,
Amanda

Softee trees

And because it's not Christmas unless there is last minute making..... like up till 2am making.....





And I had a little help with this.... my body was a humming....


Happy christmas!
thanks for looking,
Amanda

fleece spotted bag

This bag was quite easy to whip up and fun to make. It started out as a vision for a scarf, but I figured the little girl who it was for probably had enough scarves. So I made a bag. you can never have too many bags! The purple fleece was a scarf from the dollar store. Pink from Fabricland.


I even lined it! A big deal for me as I don't usually like to take the time to do it, but I'm glad I did.


I got the idea for the reverse applique(?) from ....ah man, I can't remember where from. I thought it was "Sew Liberated", but now I'm not sure.... If you know, tell me. It was a brown or green skirt with leaf pattern sewn and cut.


And I'm done caroling for 2010. Yeah. I didn't get a sore throat or sick. Touch wood. Just have to get through 4 days of singing for Church. Ah, c'mon Boxing day!

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Christmas happenings

This past week has been a blur of activity interspersed with singing gigs. can't wait until Boxing day. Always a day of rest for me.
So last weekend, we finally got our tree. A few years ago, we took a picture at the boy scout tree lot with tons of snow. This year, there were dried leaves in the Christmas trees!


When I got home from singing, the tree was up and ready for decorating. We put on the Polar Express movie, made popcorn and had hot chocolate while we decorated. The kids had such a great time. Here is the best part... topping the tree.


Later in the week, we took a visit to santa. I love this santa. Been going there since rafael was a baby. If you go after lunch, when all the big kids are in school, he talks to you forever. And you can take your own pictures. Because of that, I don't care what the "professional" photo is like. I have my own ideas for candids.

She would not look up. I had to place her on Santa's knee. She played the shy card very very well.

So then I brought her away from Santa while Rafael chatted him up. I like this picture the best. Santa is always watching. Whenever I get my desk cleared off, I will make a scrapbook page of this one.


A few days later, it was the school concert. There were so many kindergartens, they let the parents take photos for about 5 minutes before they performed. My son was a great ham.. shouting over the crowd, "Hi daddy, Hi mama, Where's Braggie? " (my uncle) "Love you Braggie!" clear as a bell. cute as a button.


So, that is what we've been up to.
More sewing to do.....
thanks for looking,
Amanda

ogee ornament

Here is the full ornament that I made from the info on Betz White's blog.


I didn't have the proper felt, but I did have some stiff felt from Michael's. I did it in white 1st, but the felt was too stiff, it didn't flow, just bent in the wrong places. The blue was a little better, but still not right. Anyhow, I figure with a few shiny, spiny things, it would distract. haha


I knew that buying those little filigree beads 2 years ago would come in handy.


Can't wait to finish the car holders i started today... stay tuned.
thanks for looking,
Amanda

felt cupcake pincushions

Here is my 2nd project from
Fa la la la felt

Last year, I bought the pincushion on the far right at a craft sale. I loved the size of it for my stamping desk. Geesh, remember when I used to stamp?

So I was excited when the Fa la la la felt e-book had a pattern for it. They mystery of what was inside was solved! It's a bottle cap, or stopper, as we would say in Newfoundland. In the e-book, they made them into little ornaments by putting a ribbon on the top.

These are so fun and simple to make. I have a few more I want to do before the season ends. Come to think of it, I may just make a half a dozen as cupcakes for the play kitchen. how yummy would they look?

thanks for looking,
Amanda

ornaments, assembly line

! Glad this order is over. Now I can work on some other things, An assembly line is the way to go when you have so many to do. When it all comes together, it feels good.

When you finish up the custom bags and slip them in, even better....


Delivery is this afternoon.


thanks for looking,
Amanda

Cupcake pocket fleece scarf

I have a vision for fleece scarves and hats. I bought the fabric, just have to get to it. Anyhow, here is a beginning to my fleece making....


The cupcake is made from felt with a few stitches on the machine and a bold, red button.

I then blanket stitched it on with pink anchora crochet thread that I bought in Portugal. i LOVE it and I'm so glad I have so much of it as I'm using it constantly.

Now to make little bags for my order of 35 microscope ornament slides ....

Thanks for looking,
Amanda