This week as been quite busy. Here is what I’ve been doing while away from the computer. Weeded the side flower beds, added a few white flowering annuals, mulched it. Planted tomatoes and peppers, gave the dog a bath, painted 2 of the living room walls (again). Worked on my couch slipcover, which is almost done. I’m still not sure if its going to work or not. Getting ready for a yard sale I’m having memorial day. I was sick and unable to be in my mother-in-laws yard sale. I’m really cleaning house or should I say storage above garage in determination to have my own craft room.  I’ve decided I will not show a before picture because my mess, does not look anything like this. And in my dreams it will end up looking like this. Dreams do come true, right??

I also finished my Back-Tack package. It’s on its way Amy. And if you want a complete surprise turn your head as I’m going to show a little more. I tried this dog pattern I found in the Tasha Tudors Old-Fashioned Gifts bookthat I got at library, but I don’t think this is what Tasha had in mind. He is also my first real attempt at making a doll, other than sewing only 2 pieces of fabric together. This is one of the reason I joined Back-Tack 3, it would force me to try something new and I couldn’t back out of it either. He has changed his looks a little, these last few days. I first had white button eyes on him, only to be told that the alpaca looked scary, so I changed his eyes to the wiggle eye buttons. He was still being called an alpacas so a dog collar was a must. What do you guys think? I’m still a little undecided about him, just because it doesn’t look like something I would make. My favorite is the other one but I will wait until the package has arrived to show the rest.

He is also squatting a little and with that look in his eye, Well, Amy I can’t promise that he is house broken and from what I’ve seen of him he can be quite a hand full, so training and patience may be needed. You may even want to seek a professionals advice about this little guy. I also had to pry him from the hands of one girl who insisted he needed to stay here, in her bedroom because she was afraid he would be abused (Nice Try), only to end up in these little hands. And yes, those are socks. She has a fashion on her own and does this fairly often. She calls them gloves.  A rule at our house,*Dirty sock MUST be hidden in hamper right away.

Picture of his collar.

1) Well, more blue birds and all though these little guys look yummy, they are not to eat.

 

2)A sneak peek at my Back-Tack 3 project. Along with one of the patterns given, I’m trying a new one I found but I’m not sure of my opinion on it yet. I am going to completely finish it before deciding to send it or throw it in the toy box. Hopefully I will have everything done and sent out by next week.

3) In between heavy rains we have been doing some serious garden clean up and weeding. And look what a great helper I have. I actually chase after her more than anything, which can quickly wear you out and cause you to easily give up the task at hand, but that is what I’ve been doing these last 2 years and you can really tell by all the lovely weeds I grow. So I have to stick with yard work this year. I asked her to smile and this is the face I get.

4) I think I have found a couch slipcover that will work and is easy to do. I have all 10 yards of canvas washed, cut and ready to stitch up. I’ve attempted this before with a different pattern only to seriously fail at it. So I really hope this time is a charm.

5) And to finish up a gift for my daughters teacher who has been quite ill and out of the classroom for 3 weeks. She is such a great teacher and my daughter has missed her, So a get well package is in order.

I found this wonderful Book a few weeks ago and it has inspired many projects. This is one of them. It is super easy and quite fun. And can be made into almost anything, dish towels, quilts, clothes, pillows, slipcovers, bags, you name it. It would be great for a kids project too. Take their scribbles and pictures and not only embroider it but let them color it as well.

Vicki also has a great selection of iron-on transfers to choose from that would be perfect for this. After you have your transfer on your fabric or a free hand drawing, you color it in with a crayon. Iron it to set the dye. Make sure to put a plain piece of paper in between your colored fabric and iron. Embroidery it and your done.

I also made this blue bird pin over the weekend and will be making more to sell. I really enjoy working with felt or felting.

Here is the package I received from Blair as we shared in our green and pink swap. I felt honored to get one of her cute little birds. Who is now perched in a bird cage in the kitchen, she is well adjusted and rules her roost. A zipper pouch which was received in perfect timing as I was in need of one. And the wonderful pink and green fabric swatches. After looking around I have very few pink fabrics which is sort of sad as I love the pinks, so it was a joy to add these to my stash and I’m already thinking of adding them to a quilt I’m wanting to start….someday that is. I also received my first handmade pincushion, what a treat! Thanks Blair for all the wonderful goodies..they came at a perfect time too.

And Thank you Sofia for this most “belle” magazine, it has some amazing pictures in it! And these darling buttons, they are so so so cute!!! Part of me can’t wait to use them but the other half just wants to look at them.

Hope everyone had a most wonderful weekend, especially all you mothers out there. I was treated to a lovely dinner and flowers and a walk in the the back of our property to see the wisteria bloom. Every year since we have lived here (6 years) I’ve missed it and so it was a wonderful treat. My daughter and I ventured out while my husband stay home with other kids. Mom if you are reading this, here is what the back of our property looks like.

Crossing the creek on a bridge my husband made a few years ago.

Stopping for a little play time

Stopping to see if the ducks that just flew off this tiny little pond had a nest nearby.

Heading to were the wisteria grows.

The wisteria, only I was sadly disappointed in how the picture turned out.

It started to rain so we decided to cross the creek here instead of walk all the way back to the bridge. She was tickled to really use her rubber boots, which is a must at our house.

I had my well loved and very worn in leather boots, so I crossed on the log.

We are almost home and finding refugee from the rain in a pine grove.

I was wanting to post about some of my kid journal entries but I’ve been feeling ill lately and have not got around to taking the pictures so it will have to wait but I leave you these poems.

Untitled Limerick by Kyle

There once was a big fat rat.

his friends nicknamed him scratt

he liked lots of cheese

he would say please

His friends called him the brat.

 

 

A untitled Quatrain by Kyle

We are rats

We hate cats

They lay on Mats

Their owners give them some pats.

I know I can’t be alone in trying to keep a baby book, only to get a few months in and forgot about it. I think baby #1 made it to a little over a year, baby #2 maybe six months, and baby #3 well I probably wrote down a few measurements????

They have been saying and doing some funny things lately. And there pictures are great inspiration so I decided to turn a journal into a kids book. I can write whatever cute lines they say or draw a quick picture with their thoughts, add their paintings, just whatever I want. I will keep it on the book shelf in the hallway for quick access to jot down the words that I know I will forget in a few weeks. I didn’t just want a plain ole’ journal so I made a slipcover to go over it. Next week I’ll post some of the things I’ve added to the journal.

Last week there wasn’t much crafting going on. I was getting ready for a huge yard sale my mother-in-law is having. Purged, purged, purged like never before, now I have to price everything and it will be ready for next week. What doesn’t sell is off to the donation bins. After removing so much stuff, it made me want to do some redecorating and that does not include going and buying more junk that I just kind of like. I did make some new curtains to hang over a door-less closet in the tiny foyer by my front door. I have lots of whites and creams in my living room but I choose this fabric to sort of balance out the darks I also have, like a brown leather love seat, that I’m so pleased to see its finally looking distressed and worn, bamboo blinds and a dark wooden antique trunk.

I’m not sure how I’m going to finish the edges. It is backed and sewn on to canvas so I could leave it just as it is but I think I want more of a finished look. Any ideas??

I also completed this for my son. He requested a bag after seeing the one I had made for his sister, plus he was Really in need of his own bag.  A few weeks ago he was going on a small trip for the day with his dad. I went to fix him up a bag, with snacks, a tablet of paper, pencils and his DS, when I realized all I have is girly bags and mine. That is where I always put his stuff, which it not a big deal when we are with him. So now, he has his own bag.

And this is the bag I made for my daughter, super easy and quick. I had it made in about 5, no more than 10 minutes. This one is for play here around the house so I didn’t measure or anything. 

I Took the dress that was way to short for her to wear, turned it inside out. Guessed about how tall I wanted it. Sewed the side and stopped when I came to the ruffle.

Turned it right sides out, sewed along the top of the ruffle to close in the bottom.

Turned the top edge over, sewed it making the tube and then used a scrap piece of cording I had to feed through the it.

And these were all Used with what I had.