Partner in Crime

Well I'm back... for the hand full of those who actually check in on this blog. 

I was off visiting family and decided to give up my virtual-side of life for a while. 

I'm excited to introduce you all to my new partner in crime...

MY NEW SEWING MACHINE!!!

I'm so stoked. 

I've been using a lil' machine that I bought off of craigslist for practically nothing... 

which is about how much it did. 

I'm excited to broaden my horizons and try new things... like quilting. Eeeee!

Want to meet my new best friend?

I have a feeling she is a night owl... just like me. 

Check out all of those stitches!!!

And what was that... did you notice the name of this model?

How perfect. 

We were destined to be together, or so the salesman convinced me. 

It has a variety of features that I'm tickled to now have, like the needle up/down, a "never miss" automatic needle threader (very rad), a reverse button in a handy location, being able to position my needle anywhere (like a scant 1/4 inch), automatic button-hole maker, and my new favorite feature, built in scissors that cut my thread at the needle. So awesome!

Can't wait to start whipping out some projects.
But first things first... got to plow through the mending pile. *sigh*

Felt Laptop & Case

I stumbled across THIS laptop tutorial by Kiki and fell in love with it!

Doesn't it just look so cute sitting there?

We had to make it just like Daddy's... so we added this to the back.

Fun huh?

I'd been dying to make it for weeks but had one small problem. 

She recommending using rub-on letters for the keys... and well, out here in Pittsburgh, my craft store options are... non-existant very limited, and I couldn't find any. 

I was really frustrated, and on a whim decided to put a piece of stiff felt right into my printer.

It WORKED!!! I was so excited!

Made it even more fun because I could pick any font I wanted. 

I didn't really care for the handles straight on the computer, so I decided to whip up a laptop case.

I didn't use a pattern, but there are tons of tutorials out there.

There is a small little pocket inside for the felt screen images... that are yet to be made.

I even got to make my first felt flower.

I now understand the obsession... they are so fun and easy to make!

She loves it.

Makes her feel so big and grown up.

How fun is that. 

You know you want to...

Craft Me This.

Spring Dresses

I was brave and decided to make my girls dresses for Easter this year. 

Really brave because I only had a couple of days to get them finished before I left on a last minute trip. 

What do you think?

I roughly followed THIS pattern. 

I really love the strip look, but I got exhausted thinking about finishing all of those edges, and I needed to be done quick
(my friend did hers this way and it turned out darling). 

One of these days I'm just going to buy a real pattern and make life easier on myself.

But on the other hand, it is kind of fun to just make them up.

I added a flower like shown HERE.

 Since this flower has raw edges, I needed a way to remove it. 

Pins don't seem to stay closed around my girls, 

so I sewed a simple snap on the back to be able to remove it for washing... 

now to train my girls to take it off before placing it in the hamper. 

The trickiest part was adjusting the pattern to make it fully lined. I wanted the girls to be able to wear their dresses with out undershirts. 

I was planning on adding a ruffle (to match the flower) to the lining so that you could see it poking out from underneath, but ran out of time. I also wanted to put pockets on, just because my girls love pockets. 

Maybe later...

This dress I also learned how to do smocking... check out how the straps turned out too. 

Cute, simple and just enough of a sleeve.

Wanna see how they look on my cute, lil' models?

Love it!

Be brave, try new things and...

Craft Me This!

Newborn Earflap Beanie

 This was a quick and easy crochet pattern, with adorable results. 

Click HERE for the pattern.

I may have to make some for my girls...

Maybe in the fall when it starts to get cooler again 

(don't want to jinx this spring weather we're finally getting)

Have a new sweet baby who you need to keep warm?

Craft Me This

Simple Car Seat Tent

I know, I know. These are everywhere.

But I really liked how the fabrics matched. 

I always do a cotton fabric on top and a flannel underneath.

Isn't that polk-a-dot fabric so cute?

I know, I could have put buttons or flowers or something fun on the straps, 

but it needed to be simple and sort of gender neutral. 

Anywho...

I guess what I really wanted to share was a cute way to gift it. 

I used some leftover fabric to make a little tie. 

Perfect for that lil' girl, 

or baby boy.

And eco-friendly, right?

Have a baby shower you're going to?

Save your paper gift wrap and...

Craft Me This

Checkered Card

I saw THIS cute card and decided it had to be duplicated. 

I love how simple it was and really think it looks great. 

I don't really own very many punches, so I made the tags myself (don't look too close). 

I was planning on making just a generic, use-for-anything-type -o-card, 

but really loved this stamp, and after all, you can always find someone to thank.

Wanna give it a try?

Craft Me This.

Easy-Peasy Placemats

I don't even know if should really even post this. 

It wasn't even really a craft project. 

All I did was cut out the fabric.

But don't they look awesome?

My friend found this fabric and Joann's and every time I went over to her house, 

I drooled over them. 

I love how it looks quilted.

It looks better on her light-wood table.

So when I found the fabric in the red tag section (with an additional 50% off)

I thought I had hit the jackpot. 

(I think it was $2-$3 for a yard and I got 8 placemats out of it)

I don't even know what type of fabric it is. It has a soft rubbery backing on it, and it's surface isn't slick like vinyl, but it is sort of textured and rubbery. 

I'm not explaining it well.

Guess you'll just have to come over for a visit to check it out for yourself. ;)

I'll find out the type of fabric it is and when I do, you can...

Craft Me This

**Update on Fabric**
So I did some research and found the distributor of the fabric (Momentum Textiles). They classified it as a "Coated Upholstery Fabric"... wow. That helps a lot. It front side is 100% vinyl (textured, not glossy/smooth) and it has a soft "Polyester Knit" backing. Don't know if that is even worth sharing... other than my search lead to just as lame of a description I had already provided. Sorry.