I sewed..

I made something for me, myself and I.  I will show you what I made for me first as I forgot to take pics of what I made for myself and I.

A faux leather bag!

I saw this purse tutorial here  on Sew4home a few months ago and knew when I get the time to sew for myself this is what I will make.. and me did... (clapping)

 I used a softer leathery fabric.. not sure what it is?? I got a whole yard of it from Joanns remnants. They have them half off the regular price of course , but that day it was marked down to another 30% I believe???  In the end I got it pretty darn cheap! I got tons of it left to make more goodies.And it is SOFT. I lined it with a thick interfacing on the lining and on the faux stuff. I also changed the handles a tad.. I didn't care for the plastic one's they used. How would I get my fat arms in those??

No, those are not my action figure toys in my purse. I finished it with Zoey staying with us, and told her, "Zoey look what Gramma made!! Isn't it soft and nice?" She grabs it, puts in her shoulder and bounds off to the toy box...ut oh. So she got to play with it while she was here. =)

The lining has teeny flowers on it and I think teeny purple hearts. I got that at the local quilt store, Busy Bee's.

Well when I'm not sewing for myself I try to sew things for my Etsy store. Here is what I got so far. I'm in the process of getting a new camera so trying to hold off to post them up! Some things are from before but most are new things I made.( Oh , after looking at this picture, I notice I forgot to put in two vinyl bags I made from using Sasha's tutorial.

 This cute little baby I made today! I LOVE THIS FABRIC... Its called Sunny Happy Skies by Riley Blake that I purchased from Julie in her shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheIntrepidThread

Ok last on the list...

I made a clear vinyl bag for my sister. She asked me for one like a year ago! I know, I know, I'm a worthless sister lol ..

She works in Staples warehouse and she is not allowed to carry bags in unless they are see through. I guess that way they can see if she saw some new postie notes or new tape dispensers she liked they would see she used a five finger discount.

Sooooo finally I made her one and hope she likes it.. I even made a tampon wallet to hide them little bits inside so they won't be rolling around inside.. embarrassing. 

Wanna hear funny story by me? I flipped my keys out of my purse once, and a tampon went flying out into the parking lot.. oops.and I left it..well?? what would you do??? 

But there ya have it kids.

---Forgot to add---- I used this tutorial from a free Joann's pattern called Zest tote bag. I believe I downloaded it from the site. Then I just used clear vinyl in place of the fabric choices on bottom.-------

Linked to http://threadingmyway.blogspot.com/2012/01/threading-your-way-bags-and-totes-link.html and http://threadingmyway.blogspot.com/2012/02/threading-your-way-purses-clutches.html

One day to sew ....

and I'm making the most of it!!! I have no kids in the house today and I went full swing into the sewing!!
PREPARE for lots of pics!! (some will be some things made a couple days ago but the first few are what I did today!)

Take a look into my sewing room... I wanted to make a banner FOREVER and just started cutting it up today.. I didn't do anything fancy.. just simple pendent shape.... I didn't even double it or nothing.. just one piece of fabric.. I figured I wasn't going for a chance to win the most beautiful banner so I went the easy fast route.. ( I use the easy button alot)

 I just used what fabrics I loved the most.. and even had to cut into some FQ's I didn't want to but I thought.. why did I buy this for?? I can't drool over it forever.. so snip snip...

 I have a cluttered look sewing room..I see so many lovely rooms on blogs and think.. does it REALLYYY stay that nice all the time?? really??? yeah, right. (actually this is just cleaning it up today!!) the picture above is the west side wall.. with my computer and serger hidden under those quilt blocks. ( no I didn't make them lol) my mom gave me that little shelve thingy there on my cutting table.. I love it! I put all my nice papers in there.. grinz =D
 Above that is fabric I want to use soon for some goodies..

 Above is the north wall. It has my cutting table that Doug the builder made for me.. and its has a teeny space for cutting!!! This morning that cutting space was much bigger.. don't know what happened...
Rachael Daisy little doll quilt I won in a giveaway a while back holds a spot on this wall =)
Can you spot that lol oh..and my Ottelite I won is there too!! This is like a I spy game....

 I re organized my cork board.. It was a mess. I had a 2010 calendar on there!!! geeezzz
But now it holds a cute little Owl calendar I made from this site..http://www.myowlbarn.com/p/owl-lover-2012-calendar.html
You can pick what you want for each month.. I love it!! I would have a story for each little item on that board but I'll just tell you one that is funny..
There's a button of my youngest son, Sean, on the top right corner.. he was maybe 6 or 7 years old when that was taken..
We were at a department store and he always had a habit, like most kids.. of wandering off.. I can't even remember what I was looking at or what but poof he was gone.. after searching the clothes racks (he has hidden inside them before) and asking some people around me if they saw a little blonde boy.. ( I was starting to feel frightened about then) well, 10 minutes turned to 20minutes.. maybe longer.. I was getting nervous.. leaving my cart I was going down the aisles yelling for him.
A lady said there are some kids over there .. I ran over and pulled him away and was almost yelling at him .. you know you mothers what I'm talking about.. you freak then you yell, then you are like OMG hes ok.. about the time I was looking at his "deer in the head light eyes" he hands me this button with his picture on it.. in the picture he is holding a sign saying I love you Mommy.. oh crap.They were doing a button making thing for kids for their parents for valentine's day..
yeah.. well who's the smuck now.. lol But I did have to explain to him he can't leave my side for anything!! He had a smart little boy remark and said.. "but mommy it wouldn't of been a surprise.."
But that's not half as bad as once my sister had her little girl with her and her girl was throwing a fit about something and my sister said to her girl "if you don't stop this you are going to get a whipping"..About that time a lady walks up and asked if she would like to give a donation for child abuse.. omg. LMAO well she felt silly and I think she gave the lady some money. We had a laugh over that !!
Now a day's you even say whipping in public or you get a free trip to the county..hmm k
I grew up in the 70's and 80's where a butt whipping fixed it all. But of course, I only got one whipping my whole life.. my grandma. PHEWWWWEY can she use a switch!! I learned my lesson not to go out to the road!! lol

Ok back to my sewing....
oh here is a close up of the banner.. I should of put that up above . sorry

I also made a few burp clothes. Made my own pattern.. then made a little tag toy. Made these for a Zoey's new little baby cousin. they named her Choley (not sure I spelled that right?) but thought it was cute.. Zoey , Choley. 

 I made a couple of zipper bags here with just making my own size's.
Had to order some clasp's for them so no handle's attached.. These are for sale.. going to try to put them in Etsy soon!!

 I bought this yellow print from Busy Bee's quilt shop. (local shop)
It is some of the 1930's reproduction line. She has a whole wall of the 1930's line..Oh here is a pic of that wall!!

 love it.
I bought some FQ's and will be using them for these zipper pouch's.

I made another sexy zippy wristlet using ProjectsbyJane's pattern. She has helped me ALOT trying to get this zipper just right!! 

The first one (on top) I sort of messed up the zipper end.. grrr.

My second attempt much nicer!! Thank you Jane for your help!

Well I couldn't end this without a picture of Zoey-bug.. We are having some great weather for Indiana in February! The wind is still nippy but very mild for this time of year..so taking advantage of it.. Me , Zoey and the critters (pictured in the corner) took a walk around the pond.Zoey loves to throw rocks into the run off ..Papa might have to reload the path of rocks soon!! = )

Hope all is well with everyone!!! 

Finally -- Busy Bee's Quilt Shop.

I finally took a couple of hours out of my crammed packed week to go visit Rilleda's Quilt/fabric shop!!! Its called Busy Bee's Quilt Shop and can you believe this wonderful little shop is only a 15 minute drive from me? As I said before I knew it was there but just couldn't get around to getting over there. I'm happy I did and will be back ! = )

I didn't have a lot of time to browse and take my time but I did a quick run through and was happy to see a lot of nice , new fabric's along with some older prints. She has a whole wall of 1930's circa prints!!! (and on sale until the end of the month) I got a couple of yards of this (below) from that wall! I'm in need of a new ironing board cover and thought this would do the trick.  And I was excited to see she carried the Sewline pencils!!! I always wanted to get one of these and and put it off and put it off until now. I bought the pencil set with a package of the pink refill leads. Now any of my family and friends reading this I just want gift certificates from this store for all birthday and holidays from now on! hehe

She carries all the notions and interfacing that I would use. And LOTS and LOTS of cubby shelves full of FQ's!! 

Ok sorry here are the pictures of her shop... She carries civil war circa prints too!

Laying around and hanging up on the walls are finished projects that you can admire.

 This one below is the 1930's line.. I'll be back for some of that soon!

 The notions wall..

 I must of not gotten a picture the shelves of FQ's but these are some of the civil war FQ prints here with sample packs, I believe.

 We got to talking about things (and couponing lol) but next visit I will have a list of things I actually need to make some projects and focus on that.
She teach's quilt classes in the back of the shop as well.

I feel like I'm just as busy after the holidays then I was before, and there has been no sewing involved!! About 75% of my time goes to our little Zoey bug, and I will never ever think of her as work! She is always laughing and bubbling nonsense words out that every minute with her is a breath of fresh spring air. I loved my boys when they were little , but there's a little something extra that comes with loving your grand kids. Until you have them for yourself.. I can not describe it!!
I read on a blog recently if you put a piece of soap in a microwave it does amazing tricks.. hmmmm Ok I'm game!!  Actually it called to use Ivory so I just happened to have a few bars and I got to cutting it up. Zoey kept saying.. soap?? gramma.. soap?? what you doing?? (but it comes out "Wha ewe dewin?" I said, "Zoey we are going to make fun soap" She said, "oh" and looked at me crazy. By time she is old enough to think I belong in a crazy house I probably will be there for real.
But , I cut a piece off , put it on a paper towel and we slipped it into the waver, as she waited she was saying mmmmm hungry lol , I said no we can't eat this.. I put it in for a minute and this happened...

 It's not really that hot to hold when it comes out but the middle is very warm, so we handled it very carefully. She was totally amazed at it.

We did the whole bar.. of course we did! She kept wanting it done over and over! =)
After we got it all "fluffy-tised" I had no idea what to do with it.. we washed our hands...a lot... with some of it.. then I had a idea to crumble it up into a can. When it cools it crumbles to almost dust..
Then the light bulb broke above my head.. (not really but mentally k?) I make my own laundry soap and you have to grate the bar soap.. this is just as good as grated, so I mixed a can of it up and laundry soap made!
We had a mess to clean up, she had it all over her face too. That green shirt use to be her daddies shirt when he played T-ball when he was little. I just can't bring myself to throw some items away..  Its our "wash-dishes-play-outside-help-gramma-make messes" shirt.

wow it's 1 am and I need to hit the hay. Tomorrow my dentist gets to work in my mouth and I get to pay his house payment...yay. = / Seriously I'm getting my new crown put in, and I so can't wait. I hate toothaches. Have a good weekend!