Here’s Cobyn’s counting book. The puppy was a new idea and considering the cute fuzzy ears and floppy tongue I think he’ll be making a reappearance in future books.I used some of my favourite standard pages #3, 4, 5, and 7. Then I borrowed from Nate’s book for pages 8 and 10.I copied Mya’s book for page 6 and 2. Here’s Cassie’s book from waaay back, just for some extra handmade goodness for your eyes.
Of course, like most projects, I’ve been meaning to get to this one for a while. I finally managed to squeeze it in this weekend.
I wanted to make the kids some bags to collect all their candy in that they could use for a few years. I find most things out there are cheaply made or too big for their 4 and almost 2 year old hands. Soooo off to the cutting board I went.
Here’s my high tech diagram. I really need to learn some sort of graphics program . . .
Measurements are in inches. That’s the handle placement I used, seems to be fine.
I used washable marker to sketch out some pumpkin shapes. I just free handed it but you could search for images or choose another design all together. Cut them out and fuse them to a new sew adhesive, like Heat and Bond. I wanted the black lines to show through on my pumpkin so I cut it up into a little puzzle and pieced it together on the front of the bag. Then ironed it on. I used some scraps of black and fused them to the Heat and Bond and then cut out some features. Guess I was on a roll because I don’t have pictures of that step!
Layer your handle pieces together, I added some interfacing for some more stability. Sew down both sides and turn them right side out. That part is tricky, I found a chop stick helped. Iron them flat to get nice crisp edges and then top stitch all the way around turning the rough edges under. Hem the top edge of the tote, seam size isn’t really all that important just use the same mesaurement for the front and back. Finally attach the handles with a fun box stitch.
Lastly lay your front and back pieces right sides together and sew around the sides and bottom. I debated boxing the corners on my totes but decided not to, go ahead if you want. Turn the whole thing right side out and ta da, fun Trick or Treating tote!
Posted in kid fun, sewing, tutorial-ish
Congrats to Katie who entered over on Wild Olive and won herself a ‘I <3 t’ cup cozy!
I headed into to Toronto for the Creativ Festival yesterday and boy did I have fun! If you live in or near Toronto and can get there today or tomorrow it’s worth it. They’ve got stuff for scrapbooking, knitting, sewing, crocheting, cardmaking, and all sorts of supplies and sellers.
I picked up a ton of fat quarters! They were everywhere and so fun and such bargains . . . I think I have over 30. I also met some really creative and fun people and managed to even work out a donation for a giveaway while mentioning my blog. I think I’ll let the posts about my wonderful finds trickle in over the next few days.
Posted in crochet, knitting, papercrafts, sewing
Weeeeell, maybe it hasn’t been all procrastinate I have been busy with my shop but that was only since July. Remember my counting books? I posted about them in . . . months ago. A big part of the problem was running out of osenburg, which I have only found at Joann’s craft stores so that means a cross boarder trip. When I went in September I bough 10 yards of it. I should be good for a while.
Last night I buckled down and finished one for someone. She asked for 2 of them so I’m hoping to get the other one done this weekend. And spidey senses must have been tingling in my area because just randomly 2 other friends asked where the books are for their babies. So I’ve got a little To Do list for this weekend and those counting books are on it! Along with a few other things of course.
Here are some shots of Mya’s counting book.
I finished it at about 11:30 but wasn’t happy with the size of the first few pages, somehow the pages were getting bigger at towards the back. So I did some stitch ripping and re-sewing until the wee hours.
Thanks to my fancy pants new to me sewing machine I was able to add some fun, and time saving touches.
I also got creative with the tactile side of things and put this fun stuffed cupcake on the first page.
Finished off with my lovely labels, which are iron on but I sewed them as well because I like that look.
Posted in embroidery, kid fun, sewing
Tagged applique, baby, cloth couting book, embroidery, tactile
So I was giving Nate a bath, which is strange because I usually have both kids in there, when hubby brought me my cell. So I say “Hello?” while multitasking and the noise of a splashy bath is going on around me. “Hi Tara. It’s Heather Ross“, and I reply, “Oh! . . . Hi”. It was so strange.
She had a sale on September 15th, thanks Keyka Lou for the heads up. Somehow I actually remembered and popped online to fill out the little request form. Apparently she sold out in 2 hours last year so I figured it must be good stuff and I was going to be part of it. So I filled out a form and said I’d like odds/ends/scraps to have fun with. Somehow something went wonky with my form, hence her phone call.
So Heather says, “There’s a problem with your address on this form. It starts out with a house number and street name and then it says blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah California”.
“Oh” I said, “well that’s strange. Wait, it actually says ‘blahblahblah’?” I ask.
“Yes” she replies. Then she told me how her wonderful assistant was talking to her from behind his computer and said to her, “Hey this address is weird it says blahblahblahblah. . . ” and Heather said something like “Can you read what it really says? I might be able to help if I know what it actually says” Then he told her that was in fact what it said.
Guess there was something silly going on with the form, maybe because I said Ontario, Canada or something. I have been tired lately but I’m pretty sure, as I told her, that I didn’t actually type 12 blahs into the form. Good thing the phone number field worked. Now I realize I was on the phone with someone kinda famous, fabrics, cool items and books. She makes cool stuff.
Now to await my fun package!
Posted in crafty books, papercrafts, sewing
Tagged fabric, heather ross, weekend sewing
If you haven’t popped by Wild Olive yet to enter my giveaway GO NOW!
It’s lamely the same as my last giveaway on Ms Muffin’s blog, but hey, free stuff is free stuff!
Lately I’ve been building a little fabric stash. Really that’s a nice way of saying I’ve become addicted to picking up fun nifty prints, whether I have a use for them or not. That can be a dangerous thing. When I started my blog and began reading other crafty creative blogs for some crazy reason I went all the way back to the beginning of LA’s blog, Freckled Nest and read it all. Like all all. It was kind of a fast forward glimpse of her growing. I loved these crafty bags she embroidered and/or personalized in her Etsy shop.
But of course because I was late getting to the party she was long done selling them. I really wanted one though. So I sent her an email and asked where she got them from. Then I spent ages trying to track one down. Shipping from the States was ridiculous at the one place I did find them. LA said she got them from Princess Auto but I guess it was so long ago they no longer carry them. A little while later LA randomly emailed me that she had found one in her giant pile of long forgotten craft supplies and offered to sell it to me. It arrived wrapped in wallpaper and I was super excited.
So here’s mine. I’m too afraid to do anything to it! It’s this beautiful blank slate and I’m worried about goofing it up. So there it is, plain and wonderful, like one of my awesome cuts of fabric that I’m scared to cut into. Anyone else have supplies that you’re too afraid to actually use?
So how special is this, I had this funny feeling I might have missed something important. Turns out I did. I missed the 1 year anniversary of my blog!! Which I suppose could be seen as a good thing since I’ve been busy finishing orders and making things to sell in my Etsy shop. Guess I’ve just been that busy, or tired, that I didn’t realize the date! I’m only 12 days late.
I’ll think of something fun to acknowledge this neat milestone . . . .
I’ve been admiring the stuff at Citrus Pop for a while. This necklace is particularily lovely.
I think the colourful doilies in her photos are so fun too. Need to work on my crocheting skills!
We went to a farm on the weekend. They are just opening to the public really, and selling organic grass fed beef and such. There was a jumping castle and wagon rides and all sort of family fun. One of the things was a ‘decorate a pumpkin’ table. Being the only female, aside from a cat, in the house kinda stinks sometimes. I COULDN’T get any of my wonderful boys to come over and make a pumpkin. Sooooo I decided to go ahead and make 4 pumpkins all by myself.
