Wednesday, January 27, 2010

oh joy!

In a couple hours my amazing man will be home from Michigan after being gone for around 3 weeks - a month.


I'm so excited... Lilly is too, she just doesn't know it yet. She LOVES when he comes home, I need to take a video of it, it's hilarious!

I've been working on this today... haven't put it in the shop because I'm not happy with how it came out. It's so not fun being so picky. It has little hand tied thread on it.


We're supposed to get lots of snow and maybe freezing rain this weekend, I'm so not excited about that. However, I am excited about being stuck in the house and getting to sew while having a puppysitter, ha!

That means crazy running errands tomorrow though, which means getting my butt to the eye doctor. I've been getting headaches pretty bad lately and feeling like I'm going cross-eyed.

Wishing all y'all a fabulous weekend!

Monday, January 25, 2010

primitive swag tutorial

First off, go here and buy some of these. You need some primitive hooks to hang your swag on, duh! Well worth the $7.99 for the pair. I bought 2 pair because I have 2 windows I wanted swagged... yeah, I just typed swagged.


This is SEW easy!

You'll Need:
homespun fabric - I covered 2 kitchen windows (one over the sink, the other a normal size) so I bought 7 yards of fabric on a whim, surprisingly I got just enough. Measure your windows, buy your fabric, allow yourself enough room for swag to swoop down in the middle.
coordinating thread (something that will blend in)
sewing machine
scissors

I made sure I left the 7 yards all one piece. I started with one window and draped the fabric the way I wanted it to lay. I then cut the excess off. One straight cut. The remaining fabric is to cover the other window.


This is the ugly window before.



Now, you'll need to fold your edges under about 1/2 an inch and iron.



Load your machine up with your coordinating thread and sew with a 1/4 inch allowance. Keep it straight and make sure you backstitch at the beginning. Right now you're just going down one side. When you get to the end backstitch there too and clip your thread.


Next side. Fold it under all nice and neat so you have a pretty corner. Follow the same as above.


Repeat the steps for each side.


When you're finished you'll have a pretty rectangle.

Now drape it over your hooks and admire your work. Easy peasy, just the way I like it!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

ideas and to do lists

Still at my mom's. It's so insanely nice to get out of the house every now and then. I love being at home but it gets old being there alone day after day.

However, away from my house and all I can think about is sewing. Different projects, ideas, to dos running through my head NON.STOP. Then I get home and it seems as if other things catch my attention and the constant ideas slip my mind and sit on the back burner or are forgotten.

I need a book.
An idea book.
A book to write down all of these away-from-home constant ideas. So then I can prioritize everything and GET.IT.DONE with no excuse.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

praise Jesus

A lot has been going on over this way.

My little 13 year old brother was saved tonight. He's getting baptized Wednesday night and I'm going with my mom. I'm so insanely proud of him.

He's inspired me to set a goal for myself to kick my potty mouth out the door.

Sales have been amazing here lately. I know it's partly because the new year but it's also because I've been doing some crazy renewing and advertising. I love my clients! I'm still donating $5 from every lovey & $10 from every quilt sold to Compassion International to help Haiti. I've raised $30 so far and my goal is $50.


Pretty insane that it's pouring down rain and storming in JANUARY.

Lilly and I are heading to my mom's tomorrow for a much needed socialization and time away from my lovely home.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

helping haiti

Like this lovey...


How about this quilt?
$5 from every lovey and $10 from every quilt is being donated to Compassion International to help Haiti.

Make sure you're counting your blessings. I know I am.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

covered letter tutorial


We can't paint where we live because we rent.
I'm all about color though so I can't stand it.

I decided to cover some letters in bright scrapbook papers and slap them on the wall.

What You'll Need:
• wooden letters (got mine at Hobby Lobby)
• bright, funky scrapbook paper (big enough so your letters can lay on it)
• mod podge
• bowl and brush (I forgot a brush so I just used a paint brush I had) for applying Mod Podge


1. Pick out which papers you want to use then lay them so the print side is facing down and white side is facing upward. Lay your first letter on the paper (make sure the right side of the letter is facing down too) and trace it. Do this for all of your letters but use a different paper for each letter!



2. Have a seat in front of the TV and cut out your letters.

3. Pour some Mod Podge out and start painting it onto the front of your letter, make sure the whole side is coated.



4. Carefully lay your cut out paper on top of the letter and gently go around the edges and press it down to make sure it all adheres. Set aside to dry. Do this for each letter.


5. Not sure how long it takes them to dry. I did 2 letters at a time then would come back after doing other things and they would be dry. I'm sure it tells on the back of the Mod Podge.

6. Hang them all funky-like on your wall and stare in admiration at how cute they are!

Don't stare in disgust at how hideous my ironing board cover is though. I desperately need to visit these ladies.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

snow day!

lilly couldn't get in the snow fast enough... she loves it!!