Tag Archives: toys

Stuffed magazine

Apparently, not only has this publication been around for a while, but it’s only published twice (?) a year. But I have to tell you it’s the cutest magazine, full of such eye candy.

I had one in my hand during one of my cross border expeditions but I passed on actually purchasing it. I regret that now. It’s hard to find now since it’s published in January, and I’ve found it once here in Canada and it was $15 which just sort of breaks my brain and I can’t part with all that money for it.

I did find a download for a bit cheaper online, well I think it was $10 so not *that* remarkably cheaper.

I tried to be a cheater pants and take screen shots of parts of it but they seem to be onto that sneaky trick. You’ll just have to trust me it’s a super fun magazine. Find a copy and flip through it.

Blue Calla

I had the pleasure of meeting Celine of Blue Calla a while back at a local event. She makes these beautiful bags and purses so of course I nearly trampled people to get over to her booth. And not surprisingly, I made a purchase.

She uses absolutely fantastic fabrics for her projects and often she uses Keyka Lou patterns *currently on sale*, which I also have a soft spot for. Honestly, she’s after my heart!

Here are some of my favs from her shop. Click images to go to listings.

And in her not a purse or bag category she has some amazing items, like these.

When you’re crafty it’s easy to look at things and think “I can make that” and with many of Blue Calla’s items I actually *can* make it as I have the pattern too, but I still drool over her creations.

Hippity Hoppity

Here’s a peek at the bunnies I made for my little bunnies.

They’re really easy to make so there’s still time to make one for the somebunny special in your life.

You can get the pattern here.

Pattern weight thingies. Or just fun cubes to toss around.

I stumbled across Zaaberry and found this neat little tutorial on making little weights to hold down your patterns while you trace and cut.  Bye bye pins.  Luckily I had previously cut a bunch of my scraps into little squares so they were perfect for this project.  It’s a really simple project, just sew squares of fabric together, fill them up  with someone that has a bit of weight to it and sew them shut.  I filled mine with some flax left over from my eye pillow making.  There’s even some lavender bits in there too I think.

 

 

 

Steggie #2 and some great buys.

Finally finished Wesley’s Steggie a few days ago, orange and blue as he requested (I’m such a nice Mommy).  Here are the 2 Steggie brothers just hanging out.

He turned out pretty cute.  Not sure I want to attempt another one right now, I’m taking a Steggie break.  I’ll move onto a different One Yard Wonders project now thank you very much!

More fun exciting handmade mail arrived for me!  I figured with my growing collection of sewing and craft books I needed some cute bookplates.

They’re one of the many wonderful creations by Cabin and Cub.  I’m totally in love with this piece but really need to wait on making yet another purchase.

While on my cross border shopping spree I picked up these 2 cute fabrics, can’t wait to make a bag or tote of some sort out of them!  The green checkered one with the little apples was on sale for $3 a yard!  I should have bought more.

And while I love this little forest wristlet from Hot Butter I just ordered a bag from her, and it’s awesome and all but pretty soon I might have to seek professional help for my bag/tote/purse buying.  Instead I found the cute mushroom fabric while at Joann’s and picked up a yard just to have on hand in case I am inspired to make my own purse of some form someday, sorry Ashley Ann.  Shhhhh, in my mind it’s not the same as buying one to add to my collection.

One Yard Wonders strikes again . . . and again?

I finished stuffing Steggie and sewing him up today.  He’s a bit wonky though.  I think maybe I’m a better make it from scratch person than a pattern follower.  But, wonky or not he was made with love!  Nate was trying to pull him off the table this morning before he was even stuff so clearly he likes him already.  I’m still not sure I did the darts correctly, and his feet seem to be a little misshapen.  Oh and one leg is somehow a bit shorter . . . *sigh*

I love the fabric, it’s Heidi Grace and has little hearts on it and is so cute.  I found it challenging to sew the feet and they’re a little more uneven than I would have liked.  Of course Wesley asked if I would make him one tomorrow.  He even specified ‘orange with blue spikes’.  Choosing complementary colours already?  That’s my boy!  Guess I’m trying Steggie again.

Crayon cozy – attempt #1.

Thanks to this tutorial I was inspired to try a crayon cozy.   It was fun and I only  made one ‘oops’.

crayon cozy

I even got fancy and added my own little lable to it.  I did however make a mistake when cutting the pieces and for some reason it’s about an inch too short.  The result is it only holds 15 crayons rather than the 16 it should.  So out you go Red-Orange, who needs you anyway when there’s Orange and Yellow-Orange!?

Unrolled

I got a little bit inventive and added a button and elastic closure.  I’m a pro at that after my car cozy and playmat.

rolled up

Squishy ABCs.

I’m putting these on my to do list!

Jessica's rag quilt letters.

Found at Happy Together,  we have a store bought set but I’d really like to make my own. I’ve been keeping some special clothes I remember Wesley wearing, that Nate has now worn, perhaps that would be a good use for them. I was going to quilt them, but it might work for both projects!

I really like that I can use up scraps of material to make them, and that they are soft. After falling while putting Wesley to bed in September, landing on a wooden toy, splitting my knee open and getting 7 stitches I’m in the market for soft toys!!