December 26, 2009

finally. . .a card!

So for those of you who have wondered where I've been the past few months, I've been around--just not getting a whole lot of cards made or participating in many challenges.  We are finally making progress on finishing our basement, so I hope to have a dedicated crafting space very, very soon.  My son also stopped taking naps a few months ago, so my free time is practically nonexistant.  I did make a card today for Kazan's sketch at 2 Sketches 4 You:



I didn't make a tag, but I did make a tag-shaped card:


I used my computer to print "let it snow" repeatedly on cardstock.  I then embossed the cardstock with my Cuttlebug snowflake folder and highlighted it with some silver ink.  I used a Thickers frame and painted it silver.  The snowflake is a Sizzix die cut which works for 365 Cards Day 300 - Let it Snow (create a paper snowflake for your card).  Some ribbon, stitching, and showflake brad complete my card.  Thanks for looking!

December 9, 2009

Christmas cards

I finished my Christmas cards yesterday.  While I should have spent my day off finishing my continuing education so I'll have a pharmacist license next year, I spent the day embossing cardstock and sewing ribbon around cards.  I seriously thought about not making my cards this year.  There's just so much to do and so little time.  I was going to buy some of those photo cards to send, but they're kind of expensive.  I can make cards for a fraction of the cost--it just ends up taking so much time!  I try to make a photo card every year using a picture of my son, but I could not get it to work this year.  I'll just tuck his picture inside the card.  I did coordiante the colors of my card to the colors in the picture, though.  So here's what I finally came up with:


I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the snowflakes on the bottom of the card.  I also sprayed the embossing with some glitter spray paint.  The cards I send out won't have the glitter paint because I was running short on time, and it's kind of messy.  I really like the way they turned out--clean and simple.  I used a computer-generated sentiment on the outside and inside for the Caardvarks digital challenge.  My husband bought me a very nice Canon Pixma 9000 printer for Christmas last year, and I LOVE it!  I'm able to print anything I want on my cards now.  The inside sentiment has a little Christmas greeting and our names--so they're completely impersonal (but finished).  I didn't even address the envelopes by hand but used printed labels instead.  Thanks for looking!

December 7, 2009

winners!

Thanks to everybody who participated in my giveaways for Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day. I enjoyed reading all of your comments. And now for the winners using a random number generator. . .

The winner of the animal-themed crayon roll is molly mckelfresh. The two winners for the morsbags are Megan Presley and Breanna S. I'll be contacting the winners to get your mailing addresses. Thanks again for participating!

November 29, 2009

Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway #2

ETA: I have another giveaway in a separate post. To also be entered to win a reusable fabric shopping bag, comment on this post.

I was able to make one more item for the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day. I have been making these cute little crayon rolls using Skip to my Lou's tutorial for inspiration. It's a great way to use up fabric scraps. I did deviate some from the tutorial (as I always do). One lucky winner will receive this adorable animal-themed crayon roll and 16 new Crayola crayons. It would make a great stocking stuffer!




To be entered to win, just leave a comment on this post. I will use random.org to choose one random winner from all comments left by 12 midnight CST on Sunday, December 6, 2009. I will ship the item by December 12, and I will ship internationally. Thanks for participating!

November 28, 2009

Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway #1

Sew, Mama, Sew! is hosting a giveaway day! I am participating by giving away two morsbags (fabric shopping bags) to two lucky winners. If you want to make your own bags, there is a free pattern here.



I used a beautiful thrifted sheet to make the bags. I found this huge (queen or king) tan and ivory/white-striped bedsheet at Goodwill for 99 cents. I love the fabric so much I'm going to make myself some new kitchen accessories with some of it.

To be entered to win, just leave a comment on this post about one environmentally friendly thing you do--no matter how small it may seem. I will use random.org to choose two random winners from all comments left by 12 midnight CST on Sunday, December 6, 2009. I will ship the items by December 12, and I will ship internationally. Thanks for participating!

November 26, 2009

Frosty the Snowman--late Halloween pictures

When I asked my son what he wanted to be for Halloween, his response was "a snowman." Okay, not what I was expecting. Before I started making his costume, I asked him on several different occassions just to make sure the response was always the same. After some thinking, I figured out how I was going to accomplish this. On the way home from the fabric store, my son announced that he wants to be a pirate for Halloween. Sorry, little dude--you're gonna be a snowman this year! I think it turned out pretty well:

You can't see the cute little red buttons on the front because I wasn't smart enough to take his bag from him before I took the picture. This one shows the costume a little better:



And the back:

I used a Simplicity pattern for a toddler pumpkin costume and white fleece to make the body of the snowman. He got lots of compliments!


November 3, 2009

polka dot morsbags

My latest ongoing project has been morsbags. I really dislike plastic shopping bags and have been using reusable fabric bags for a few years now. Morsbags are so easy to make. I usually use thrifted sheets (lots of fabric for a little money), and my most recent purchase was an adorable polka dot sheet from Goodwill (originally from Target). I was able to get seven cute morsbags from it--

Six of the bags have been shipped off to New York as part of a huge giveaway for Independent Retail Week. I will be giving the seventh bag away to one lucky person who comments on this post. To be entered to win, just leave a comment on this post sharing one environmentally friendly thing you do--like using reusable shopping bags. If you don't have a blog I can contact you through, please be sure to leave an e-mail address so I can let you know if you win. I will select one random winner from all comments posted by midnight CST on Tuesday, November 17 (one comment per person, please). Thanks for playing!

October 29, 2009

ribbon-palooza

It has been so long since I've made cards or participated in any card challenges.  I have missed so many Caardvarks challenges but was able to make a "tall" card this morning for their current challenge.  I combined it with 365 Cards Day 242--Ribbon Frenzy (use 7 different ribbons on your card in any way that you choose). 


My card measures 3 1/4" wide by 6" tall and opens at the top.  I don't know why, but I love making tall cards that open at the top--probably so I can wrap ribbon around the front flap.  It's also my first Christmas card of the year.  Thanks for looking!

October 4, 2009

fabric strip burp cloth tutorial

Updated 2/16/12:
I am currently hosting an "i spy" fabric charm swap!  For more information, please see this post.

***

Sew, Mama, Sew! is having a Scrap Buster Contest! I put my other sewing projects on hold this weekend to make a project for the contest and attempt to write my first tutorial. If ANYTHING about this tutorial is confusing, hard to follow, or just plain wrong, please let me know! So, here goes. . .

Fabric Strip Burp Cloth



Materials Needed:
polar fleece scrap (approximately 10" x 22")
flannel scrap (approxiately 10" x 22")
various strips of similar weight cotton fabrics that coordinate with fleece fabric
sewing machine
thread
pins
rotary cutter, mat, and ruler (or scissors)

1) Gather materials. I used a fun, multicolored piece of fleece to give me lots of fabric options for the front--maybe too many fabric options.


2) Place flannel fabric on cutting mat and cut a piece 10" wide by 22" long. Since my piece was a scrap, it is only about 9-3/4" wide.

3) I like rounded corners on my burp cloths, so I use a coffee mug to round the corners. Place the mug at the corner of the fabric and trace with a pen. Cut on the line. Repeat for the other three corners.


4) To make a contoured burp cloth, find the center of each long edge (11" on this cloth). Go in 1" and make a mark. I use a small dinner plate and a pen to trace the curve.


Cut on this line, and repeat on the other side.


5) Place the flannel piece on top of the fleece fabric. Using the flannel piece as a guide, cut the back piece of the burp cloth out of the fleece fabric.

6) Using your scrap cotton, cut strips of fabric at least 10-1/2" long. The width can vary, but you will lose 1/2" in width due to seam allowances, so don't make them too skinny. If you have some pieces that are slightly shorter than 10-1/2" you can use them at the contoured part of the burp cloth. Press all the fabric strips using an iron.
7) Place your first strip (green in the picture) right side up at one end of the flannel burp cloth piece.

8) Place a second fabric strip (stripe in the picture) on top of the first strip right sides together with raw edges even. Pin in place. Stitch together with 1/4" seam allowance, back stitching at the beginning and end of the seam.

9) Fold the second fabric strip over and press.


10) Continue adding strips to the flannel fabric by repeating steps 7, 8, & 9.


When you get the contoured part of the burp cloth, you can use some of your shorter strips.

11) After you have covered the flannel with strips of fabric, turn the piece over so the flannel is facing up. Trim the fabric strips.


12) Place your flannel and fabric strip top piece on the fleece piece, right sides together. Pin the two pieces together.

13) Stitch the pieces together using a 1/4" seam allowance, removing pins as you sew. Be sure to leave an opening on one of the short ends for turning.
14) Using the opening, turn the burp cloth right side out. Finger press the edges.


15) At the opening, fold the raw edges in and pin. This will be stitched closed when you topstitch the burp cloth.

16) Top stitch close to the edge. I use the inside edge of my presser foot as a guide.

17) Admire your work!



September 30, 2009

banana bread cookies

I've been meaning to make banana bread for some time now since I've got a freezer full of very ripe bananas. I had this fantastic idea to make banana bread in a cookie form. As with most of my great ideas, it's been done before. I found several recipes and decided to try this Martha Stewart recipe which made these wonderful cookies--

I made some alterations. I omitted the egg and used an extra banana (an idea I got from cupcakepunk's blog). I didn't use parchment or rotate the cookie sheet. They turned out perfect! I was feeling very domestic and pretty proud of myself. And then I made the last batch of cookies--

I made my son dinner in between batches of cookies and left the broiler on. The cookies didn't fare so well!

September 25, 2009

little animal

It has been a MONTH since I made a card. I have missed out on so many great challenges! I would have loved to make a card for each sketch this week for the Caardvarks Sketchfest, but a card a day is so impossible for me! I did make a card today using Heidi's Friday sketch:

I made a jungle-themed card for 365 Cards Day 209. I don't think my picture could be any more crooked:

The papers are DCWV Animal Crackers--perfect for this challenge. Thanks for looking!

September 22, 2009

morsbags

I can't believe it's been a month since I've posted anything on my blog. I haven't made a single new card in a MONTH! My poor Etsy shop is pretty empty. I just haven't felt like making cards. Life's been busy with work, finishing our basement, and an almost three year old. I haven't been completely unproductive because I have rediscovered how much I love to sew. I purchased a clearance Orla Kiely tablecloth at Target awhile ago. I showed some restraint and only bought one. I wish I would have bought them all--I love the way my new shopping bags turned out:
I used these morsbags instructions. The bags are easy to make and they fold up nicely to fit in my purse. My bags weren't completely in the spirit of morsbags since I purchased something new to make them instead of using thrifted fabric.
I like the idea of morsbags so much I'm making some for their Nolcha challenge. I registered a pod (just me for now), ordered my labels, and started cutting and sewing. These two bags are made from a thrifted shower curtain (from Target--still new in the package).

I have two more cut out and ready to sew together. I also have seven more bags cut out from an adorable polka dot sheet, so I've got lots of sewing ahead of me!

August 21, 2009

sweet little baby

I combined a few challenges to make a fun baby card. I used CPS Sketch 129:

I rotated the sketch and also used 365 Cards Day 173 - Mixed Message. The challenge there is to incorporate three ways to create a sentiment to make one big sentiment.

I made the sentiment using part of a rubber stamp (sweet), a chipboard sticker (little), and Sizzix die cut letters (baby). The patterned paper is more American Crafts. I added some ink around the edges (Tim Holtz), some stitching, a piece of denim fabric, and ribbon. I love it! Thanks for looking!

August 20, 2009

2S4Y/birthday wishes

I think I have a paper problem. I have more paper than I could ever use, but I bought even MORE. I was at Archiver's, and they had American Crafts packs on clearance for 50% off. I debated forever since I didn't need it. I finally decided on the "Play" pack but put it back on the shelf at least twice. Then I bought it before I could talk myself out of it again. :) I used some to make a card for Kazan's Sketch 33 at 2 Sketches 4 You--


I also bought some scalloped flat cards. I don't like cutting scalloped borders freehand because they never come out right. Thanks for looking!

August 15, 2009

you did it!

Another week is gone and only one completed challenge card! I used Laura's Sketch 32:

I combined the sketch with 365 Cards Day 165 - Shape Up! where a star had to be the dominant shape on your card. I love stars, so I didn't want to miss out on this challenge.

I used more yummy American Crafts patterned paper. It doesn't get any better than stars and polka dots! Thanks for looking!

August 8, 2009

2S4Y Kazan's Sketch 32

Kazan has a great sketch this week over at 2 Sketches 4 You:

I am loving the set of K & Company stickers I bought on clearance at Michael's. I think I'm going to go back and buy everything they've got! I used one of the stickers and American Crafts papers to make this baby card:

Thanks for looking!

August 6, 2009

a few sketch challenges

I used a few sketch challenges to make some cards. I'm making some moving cards/announcements and used the sketch for 365 Cards Day 155 - Super Sketch Sunday as inspiration:

I missed out on the Card Patterns sketch challenge last week. I had to play along this week for Sketch 26 because I love stars:

I bought the cutest set of K & Company baby stickers on clearance on Michael's. I don't scrapbook (yet!), but they're great to use for little sentiments on my cards. The colors match these American Crafts papers almost perfectly. Thanks for looking!