Saturday, October 29, 2011

WIP's & Halloween preview..

Remember Rebecca's Pouch-A-Long? (PAL).. well, it starts Monday, so today armed with a 30% off coupon, I finally settled on these:


I am thinking that if it turns out okay, it may be a Christmas gift for a certain member of the family, who doesn't read blogs. ;o)  I have some ideas, but nothing set in stone.  I'm not a pattern drafter, so I'm a little worried about designing the pattern around my frame, but I'll give it a go.  Remember, I got a larger frame with black snapper:


I also  picked up a curved needle and some green floss.. Hmm..  Hope it turns out like it is in my head.


I also picked up a brown solid for the background for my meandering hexie project.  That may or may not be a gift for someone, if it gets finished in time.  I think I'm done making hexies, though.  It is going to be a small lap size quilt.  Here it is laying out in the living room floor:


I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the dark brown background, but I like it.  I am thinking that a border might be nice, too, out of the leftover fabrics.  A piano key border or something.


In pre-school-y news.. their little carnival was yesterday morning, and they all wore their costumes.  A. wore his pants and hat, but is saving the top and mittens for Halloween.  Thought the long sleeve tee would be more comfy for school.
Is everyone ready for Halloween?

(Someone is ^^^^ teasing me!)


Happy Saturday!!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Robots and the Danger Zone and OPD

So.. taking my son to his new preschool program--which is GREAT--may not be that great for my wallet.  Turns out that said school is right in the middle of a danger zone.. i.e. my LQS.  It is literally maybe a quarter mile away.  Practically just across the street!


So the other day when I was early to pick him up, I thought I'd just pop in to look around.  A perfect way to kill some time.  More like a perfect way to kill some money! Look what I found in the 50% off bin.


ROBOTS! (David W. for Free Spirit)




Seriously adorable! Crazy cute!!




A DOG!!! :o)  I swoon for cute little boy prints. 



So does my cute little boy.


My hexie virus is well documented as of late, but if you haven't noticed before now, I also suffer from Obsessive Pillowcase Disorder. If you don't believe me, revisit my Pillowcase-palooza post by CLICKING HERE.  I had made a couple for my son, and then when Joplin, MO was hit by an EF-5 tornado in May of this year, I decided to make a bunch to send to my bro. to give away there.  Both my parents and my bro/sis-in-law live in Joplin but were unharmed. That started my obsession. They are so much fun and so easy!


So, there.  I have now admitted to two documented fabric related illnesses.  I think I will need professional help. ;o)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Still Hexing Along.

Thanks to everyone who visited from the FNSI.  I love visiting the links and seeing what everyone got done and making new blog friends. :o)


I'm still working on these:


Since this is kind of the plan I have for them:
I tried to lay some of them out this afternoon:


Need more of the dark ones.. but that is kind of what I was thinking.. just to have them meander like that, in kind of an ivy type way, from the top right corner to the bottom left corner.


This is the link for printing hexie papers that I found:


Snippets and Blabbery Hexie Templates

These go as small as 3/4 in. but I have been thinking about (gasp!) trying to make a 1/2 in. one.  I know, I have the hexie virus pretty bad.  I would HAVE NEVER thought I would want to try something so small!  But I'm intrigued.. Hmmm.. Hadn't even thought about the possibility until a blog friend mentioned making them 1/2 and even 1/4 inch!! ACK! ;o)  Since I have some pretty tiny scraps, I might try the 1/2, but no promises! ha!


I'm also not stuck on the dark brown as the background, that is still not set in stone.. will just have to wait and see I guess.  I think I only have maybe a third of what I need, so I will just keep hexing along until I have enough.
*sigh*


Happy Tuesday! :o)
Friday, October 21, 2011

Friday Night Sew-In

Well, I didn't get to work on this..


..because I was working on this..


While at DisneyWorld last month, little Mr. Five saw this hat..



..and immediately insisted on being Pluto for Halloween.  Found some felt the exact color for a couple of bucks a yard, and a pattern to use as a guide.. and Ta-Da!  Pluto.


Made the top tonight, now just need to finish the mittens.


Did manage to eke out some sewing time for myself tonight, too, though. :o) Made some hexie flowers.


Kinda wanna make this hexie quilt for my mom.  Going to post the plan again, just to keep myself motivated. 


That is it for my Friday Night Sew in results.  Looking forward to checking everyone's posts out tomorrow. :o)

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

First Throw Pillow!

I kept thinking about a throw pillow using the hexie flowers until I just had to get it out of my system.


Here she is.. my first ever throw pillow attempt!




She turned out pretty good, and ended up fitting the pillow almost perfectly.  A happy accident, believe me!  I just used the pillow as a guide to trim it to size before sewing it together.


I also machine quilted on it!  Except you can't really tell with it stretched onto the pillow, the thread and the fabric are so dark.  But I was pretty happy with how it turned out.  I wish the quilting was more obvious, and that maybe it had another flower on it or something..?  




The back is kind of insignificant I guess, since you can't see it.




But here it is anyway.


Just double folded two pieces for the back and slipped it in.




For now, it will stay on this chair by the fireplace.




P.S.  Look at this super cute pouch frame I found for Rebecca's Pouch Along @ Making Rebecca Lynne.  I love love LOVE it. :o)




I hope? it's the right kind.  Never attempted a pouch with a frame before.  Looking forward to it!


*Linking up @ Things I've Done Thursday.
Sunday, October 16, 2011

Someone Turned Five..

Where does the time go?!
I was holding his little hand in the car one day and I got choked up when I looked at his hand gripping my finger, and thought, "I don't ever want to forget this."  So I took a photo.  And to this day, it is one of my most favorite photos.  


Back then:


Now: (on the left, with his buddy from school)






Motherhood: Not for sissies. :o)


Wouldn't trade it for the world.  Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!


May we have a moment of silence in remembrance of my last solid night's sleep.  ;o)  It's true.. once you have a kid, you never sleep as soundly again.  I can be in a deep sleep and the sound of little tip toes on the carpet wake me up. ha!  Weird.


*Sigh* Make the growing up stop.. or at least slow down, just a little.
Thursday, October 13, 2011

Thursday Think Tank--New Hexie Project?

I have been a hexie makin' fool lately.  It's no secret.  I'm hooked. I have a quilt planned in my head and everything.  But a new idea popped into my head, threatening to slow down the momentum I have going for the planned quilt.  It came about after making the tiny hexie flowers.  
Wouldn't this make a cute throw pillow?  Brown is one of my favorite colors..(is that weird?)  I just love the dark browns and the deep brown center.. looks like a button.


I love the dimension of the two stacked on top of each other.  Now this opens up a new door for my quilt plan.  Make some of them dimensional?


*Sigh* That means I'll need even more of these little babies.  But I kind of love them...


Linking up with Becca's Thursday Think Tank.  And Do Something Crafty Friday.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Gone Hexie Mad.

A couple of months ago, I'd never made a hexie flower.  Or even one hexagon.  Everyone was right. They are addicting.  Now my 1.5" hexie flowers have had 3/4" babies!


They are kind of tedious but fun!
And so cute when they are done.


I was so proud of myself, I had to force my husband to ooh and ahh over it. ha!  (he's so cooperative-I love that guy.) Just don't look at them too closely b/c all of the corners may or may not match up perfectly. 




There are 3 in total so far..


And 4 more of the larger ones..


This plan may come together yet.. if it doesn't get derailed by some pillows first.


Linking up with One Flower Wednesday and Freshly Pieced.  
Sunday, October 9, 2011

Great Holiday Dessert!!

i.e., Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle.


Happy Sunday!  Sharing a recipe today, an easy (and beautiful) alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie.  Soooo easy and sooo good!




Hoosier Toni recently blogged about a giveaway with Kelli (another Kelli with an "i"!) over at Small Town Stitcher and one of the entries was to comment with your favorite fall dessert.  That got me thinking about Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle.  It's a Paula Deen recipe.. you know.. the guru of butter. But believe it or not, this one doesn't have butter in it.  Here's the recipe:

2 (14 oz) pkgs gingerbread mix

1 (5.1 oz) box cook and serve vanilla pudding mix

1 (30 oz) can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 tsp ground cardamom or cinnamon

1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping

1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions:

Bake the gingerbread according to the pkg directions; cool completely.  Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool.  Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cinnamon into the pudding.  Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl.  Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping.  Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping.  Sprinkle the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired.  Refrigerate overnight.  Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

If anyone tries it, let me know how you like it.  Hope you're all having a great weekend!
Thursday, October 6, 2011

My Most Crafty Accomplishment

The DIY/Repurposing of the crib set Toddler Bed:




Which started out life as this:




And when A. was old enough to climb out of the crib but hadn't given it the effort to do it yet.. I thought I'd better get him into a toddler bed.  Many nights of rocking with him and reading him stories and staring at the crib and thinking about what to do led me to make this sketch..  In my head it would be a fun little jungle house with animals peeking in the windows.




Using crib mattress measurements for the frame..

The best husband ever made it happen.  It helps that Lowe's will cut your lumber to whatever measurements you want for free. :)


My Dad helped my husband with the router saw to round the edges of the boards. Then I painted..


..but I thought it needed a kind of guard rail, and I wanted it to be covered with the animal fabric that was the bedskirt from the crib set.  So I got a 1x12" board and covered it with batting, and used the actual bumper pad from the crib set instead since it already had some batting inside.  I dissected it and covered the board for the front, making it come just about an inch and a half above the mattress, so it would keep him from falling out of bed. And it DID. :)



More painting for a layering effect.. I'm not so good at that.. and then I cut some animals out of the bed skirt fabric and spray glued them on, and then framed them out with some painted trim that my #1 husband helped me miter the edges of.


 Added some bun feet, which eventually were painted to match, and made a little tiny pillow case from the bed skirt fabric to match, and used some scrap trim I had to embellish it.  His crib comforter fit it perfectly.  So he could "make" his bed every day.  A completely unexpected bonus. ;)


Here it is before the bun feet were put on..





And after... He slept in it for two wonderful years, and never fell out of bed. :)


Anything is possible with a little imagination and a LOT of determination. :)  Happy Crafting.





**Now, take a moment to go on over to Hilachas to enter a wonderful blogaversary giveaway.  She has some gorgeous things up for grabs!**
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