Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A drawing transfered onto a stocking

It's officially been a year since I've become blog crazed.  No, not since I've started my blog, but since I've become obsessed with reading blogs, and sewing more than I've ever sewn before.  

Last November, 2010, I stumbled upon Prudent Baby, and became obsessed.  Everyday,sometimes a couple of times a day, I would manually go to their website to see what was new.

With the nudge of Prudent Baby I created my first table runner, that was entered into their table runner contest, and with that runner I had my first run with bias tape. 

As Prudent Baby featured other blogs I would check out and read those blogs too, then try to remember what site I visited that had that great tutorial.  It wasn't until late December when I found Blogger where it made my on-line browsing life so much easier by lumping all the blogs I wanted to read into one location.  Yay!

So this time last year my own blog wasn't even a thought in my mind, however, I have a project to share with you from back then.  A project I was pretty please with.

Our family pet is named Honey.  This project was created by merging a Chow and Bull dog together.  Ha!!  Just kidding, she wasn't a planned pregnancy.  We snagged her from a cousin, who suspected her parents neighboring dog got into their back yard.  The black/purple (chow) tongue confirmed this suspicion when the pups were born.  She'll be 3 this coming January, 2012, she is the best dog we've(I) ever had, and yes she is fixed.  We all love her, and my daughter is obsessed with her. 

Meet Honey our Chow/Bull dog mix.  Doesn't she sit so cute, side saddle like?
My daughter is always drawing pictures of her, and last year she went into a Andy Warhol phase where she would draw the same picture of Honey over and over again, in different colors.

















2010 Honey bee
As Christmas was getting closer my daughter (at that time 10) was set on getting Honey a Christmas stocking.  We have plenty of stockings from previous Christmas clearance sales, but nothing Honey appropriate, and I wasn't going to pay full price for a new stocking, not even for a cheap one. So of course, being the crafty type, I figured I'd make one for Honey.  I already had all the supplies I needed; fleece and felt.

Hmmm.... but what would say Honey?  Aside from writing her name on a stocking?

You know how that saying goes right?  About stepping back sometimes to get a different perspective on things.  Sometimes you're too close to see what needs to be seen.  Well the same goes for arts and crafts.  I'm wondering and wondering what to do for Honey's stocking, then I unfocus on my blank stare into oblivion and focus on the collage of drawings my daughter has around Honey's bed....

That's it!!!  I'll make a drawing into a stocking!!!










I looked at the drawings and decided upon one that I thought would be best.












I took the selected drawing and made two enlarged copies that I could use as a template for the felt.  One copy was cut out for the main silhouette shape/outline, and the other copy was used to cut out the shape of the face and eyes.   


The brown face and ear pieces, once traced on felt and cut out, were then glued onto the tan felt body.

Next the black and white parts of the eyes were glued into place, as well as the red collar.  I made the stocking out of red felt, and white fleece; glued the Honey felt onto the stocking, and viola that was it.

My daughter was sooo happy with this stocking.  Of course she drew it.  I love it as well.

What kind of stocking making plans do you have brewing in your mind? 


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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Ahead of the game...at least for now.

Yay!! I'm sooo proud of myself.

It's silly, but I'm soo happy that I got a stocking completed already, and it's not even December.

This will look sooo cute next to my little black Christmas tree, once it's decorated.  Well I hope it will look cute.

Now, what I need to do next is stop procrastinating, and get my Christmas decorations out.  You know time starts to fly.  I want it to be worth the work and have my decorations up for the whole month and not just a week or two. 

Is anyone done with Christmas decorating yet?  I know here in the U.S. some get decorations up Thanksgiving weekend.  When is the start time for others to get decorations up, for you non-U.S readers?

Oh, and yes my stocking is up against two stacks of my vintage sheets.  :-)
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Monday, November 28, 2011

Thrift Share Monday November 28

Thanksgiving down.  Whew! Bring on the 5 birthdays before Christmas.  Yikes!!

Well I did a little unexpected thrifting this holiday weekend.  The kids were off Wednesday so I took that day off as well to make it a 5 day weekend.  What a nice long weekend.  So Wednesday I decided to hit up some thrift shops, and I'm sooo glad I did.  I found some unexpected goodies.

My first stop was at a shop I don't go to much, since they are closed once I get out of work and are out of my normal driving route.  So I am sooo glad I made this stop.  The score I made wasn't vintage, but was new, and perfect for timing for Christmas.
As soon as I walked in I spot a bin of Lego grab bags.  No, not used Lego pieces they bundled themselves, but new Legos of random pieces, 1 pound at $1.50 per bag.  Holy *bleep*!!!


Now I don't know if you are a Lego shopper, but I have an 8 year old son and two nephews (5 & 7) so Legos are usually on their Christmas and birthday list, so I shop Legos often.  The small itty bitty little bags to make a single item like a car, or some other small figure will usually run $4-5, for 40-50 small pieces.  So what did I do? I bought 12 grab bags of Legos.  Then my mom went back and bought 9 more.  You know I'll be cursing the day after Christmas when all these little pieces are scattered all over the rug and I'm stepping on them, but at this price who could resit such a great bargain.  Twelve bags filled up one paper grocery bag for $18.   Whoot!!



Look at all the little heads!


I'm not even gonna tell you how long I spent playing sorting through all the pieces to get these little guys together. 

My next stops scored me great vintage sheets and other wonderful little finds.

Check out this great vintage Merry Mushroom napkin and shaker set.
 And OMG!! isn't this owl bank soo freaken fantastic!!!  This is a keeper and it's mine. 
 Then this little incense burner is super cute as well.  Now I gotta stock up on the little cone shape incense.





This sheet is soo groovy with it's extra large prints.

I don't think this is vintage, but it was soo soft and pretty I just had to get it.  Maybe a skirt for the Spring. 
Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!
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Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving and a SALE

How did this day approach so quickly?  Wow!

So it's time for turkey, and about a dozen other side dishes today....mmmmm can't wait.  Turkey dinner is my most favorite meal.  So I'll admit by saying I cheat and eat this meal several other times each year, but the lazy way.  I buy the roasted turkey breast at the grocery store, along with their pre-made mashed potatoes, then I make some stuffing and slice a can of cranberry sauce. It's sooooo good. 

The best part about the real Thanksgiving meal is mom's gravy.  I do a little gravy dance and burn my mouth as I taste the hot/boiling gravy as she's making it.  I could drink that stuff.  Yum!!

I feel like I should say some gooshy stuff about what I'm thankful for, but I'll keep it to a minimum. 

I'm thankful for my loving family, and for you my lovely readers and bloggers, who's blogs I love to read. 

Now time for the goodies.  I'm having a sales in my Etsy shop, 15% off for my blog readers now through next Thursday, December 1.  Use the coupon code SLEEPING, because I'll definitely be doing that after my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round of turkey.  :-)

Another goody, some Thanksgiving cards my daughter made last year (she was 10 at the time).  She made them for her cousins, and I just had to take pictures of them since I thought they were hilarious.  They are very simple stick-figure pictures, but check out their facial expressions, and excuse the misspelling (if it wasn't for spell check I would have typos every other line). 





 Happy Thanksgiving!

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Monday, November 21, 2011

Thrift Share Monday November 21

One event/holiday/birthday down and 6 to go.  My sister got married this weekend, and it was so wonderful.  She got married Thursday evening, and we froze as temps dropped to 50 degrees (outdoor venue) in strapless and sleeveless dresses.  Luckily this was just the ceremony and we weren't out all night.  Saturday she had the reception, also outdoors, and the weather could not have been any better; it was perfect.

For the reception we used 100+ thrifted mason jars with sand and candles as center pieces.  I, personally, didn't get any center piece pictures since tables were occupied with food and drinks by the time the candles were lit but here is a test grouping we did to see how they would look.

So now there are two more holidays and 4 birthdays to go in the next 6 weeks.  Yikes!!

With the running around for the wedding.  Mostly looking for my dress and something for the kids to wear my thrifting has been almost non-existent.  I've managed to hit up a single thrift shop maybe once a week.

However, I have managed to sparsely score a vintage sheet here and there.    Plus I do have some items I haven't shared with you yet, from past thrift shop visits, and 'tis the, approaching, season it's time to share.

My son loves penguins, so when I saw this uniquely white penguin cookie jar at a thrift store, months ago, I had to buy him.  My son was a bit perplex on why he was white, and he asked if I was was going to paint him.  I think this white penguin will go perfect sitting next to my black Christmas tree, which I hope to get set up in the next week.
 

Another Christmas purchase was also months ago at an estate sale.  A glass tree jar.  The top lifts off to insert  little treats or decorations.  My grandma had one just like it, and I remember she would fill it with vintage-ish hard candy just like this.... 











 It's always bitter-sweet when random little things remind me of my grandma.  We all miss her so much.   

Onto my vintage sheet finds.  These have slowly been collected over the last 6 weeks.  Now bringing my collection over 60 vintage sheets, with just under 60 listed on Flickr.

Don't forget to check out my Esty shop for vintage sheet fat quarters. I also have it set up to pick your own bundles at huge discounted rates (compared to other shops).  Ten FQ for $10.  I have almost all of my sheets posted on Flickr where you can select the sheets you want for your bundle.




 After a busy weekend of a wedding/reception, and visiting family it's time to sleep.  

Happy thrifting and happy crafting!
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Friday, November 18, 2011

My Fav Friday - outdoor photos

Photography doesn't appear to be my strong suit based on the crafty, thrifting, sewing photos I post.  However, I love to take pictures.

At one time my favorite pictures to take were of my kids, but since they've gotten older that's changed.  Is it because I don't like photographing them anymore?  No, of course not.  It's because they scatter, like roaches when the light gets turned on, when they see the camera aimed at them.  Plus if there are still for a moment they are making silly, googlyed eye faces.  Sigh.

So I've turned to objects that are not as mobile as my kids; nature, statues and buildings.

I love taking photos of flowers.  I'm always in awe at how beautiful some flowers are; the colors or their shapes just lure me.  They are even more luring when butterflies linger around them.

The Texas heat was awful this summer, so I was extremely surprised to find some gorgeous flowers while out visiting San Antonio this morning.  We took some family by the Alamo and it wasn't long before my eyes caught some flowers worthy to take pictures of.  My phone was quickly whipped out to take pictures.

Angel trumpets are one of my favorite flowers.  I love how they dangle facing down from a small tree like bush.  These flowers are ginormous; larger then the width and length of my hand. 

I don't know the name of these little purple flowers, but gotta take pictures when there are butterflies present. 
Non floral related, here is a building in San Antonio with an optical illusion.   This was taken while on the Riverwalk boat tour; a boat ride below street level. When passing this building, a hospital, it appears that it is just one free standing wall.  However, it's just that the building is built in a triangular shape so you tend not to see the angles you'd normally see if the building was square or rectangular shaped.


Here are some more favorite photos I've taken in the past.






These are 4" pots this butterfly is tending too.  That's one huge butterfly!















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Saturday, November 12, 2011

A new to me online fabric store & a last minute Bridal Shower gift

While roaming blogland about two weeks ago I bumped into a online fabric shop.  I "liked" them on Facebook, and even subscribed to their email list.  Then the following week I get a sale email from them.  I browse around, then notice they are local.  What???  Awesome!

I love supporting local businesses, so I start seriously browsing their selection of fabrics.  I pause for a moment to check out their shipping cost, because I can't stand paying shipping, and find that they only charge $2.99 for all orders.  Wow!!!  That sold me.  Seriously, and with their 25% off sale they had going on that practically paid for shipping.

I narrowed my fabric choices down to two, and OMG!!! they are even more gorgeous in person.

So who is this new-to-me online fabric store?  Form and Fabric

You know the best part about buying local?  I ordered Tuesday and I received my order the next day, Wednesday.  AWE-some!!!

Aren't these fabrics soooo yummy?  I love the dandelions.

They even sent some swatches to a couple of fabrics that had the same color scheme.  How nice is that?

These fabrics looked so yummy online I just had to buy them...without a project in mind.  However, last Sunday morning while getting some bridal shower gifts out for my sister to wrap I realized I wanted to add something else.  I wanted something to put the gift certificates in....then looked at one of the candles and it clicked (little cartoon light turned on over my head).  There is a dandelion on the candle just like the dandelions on the fabric.  I knew what I needed to make, and it was a mad rush to get this clutch whipped up for the shower that afternoon.  Super mad rush.


with gift certificates inside
OMG!!! I couldn't be happier with the way it came out.  I absolutely love this clutch in this fabric.  I've done one like this before, but it was the smaller version using vintage sheets.  This is the first time I've done the larger clutch and I love it.

Oh what even helped more was a few weeks back I purchased a solids scrap bundle over at Pink Chalk Fabrics, and I wouldn't have been able to get this clutch done on such a short whim if I hadn't bought this bundle.  There were several colors that matched this fabric, such luck....

 ....and this is why we hoard stash.  :-)
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