Round is good

Sometimes I like thinking outside the lines.. Last year I made a round purse.. and loved it.. but the colors looked too Christmas"y"  so finally after searching for the pattern I had lost... I  made me another one using Apple Of My Eye by The Quilted Fish.
 I knew when I bought that fabric I would use it to make me a purse.. It turned out so cute!!!! (pat myself on my back)

One side..

 Inside minus my junk .. thats 4 pockets !!

 Side view.. its stands good!

 Second side..

 Inside with junk.. I have made everything inside my purse too lol
You would think the stuff would not fit right on the bottom but they lay in there pretty good and not crooked.

After I finished it I wish I went with my instincts to just quilt stitch along the seams.. The pattern called to quilt it this way.. me dont like it very well..but I don't notice it while carrying it..
I still have to wash my markings off! oops
I got the pattern from the magazine Quilt World, October 2010 issue.
I think I will adapt the pattern and try to make a square one next time. And I think it would be neat to add a detachable shoulder strap. I like little purses but sometimes need to swing it on my shoulder...

I've been digging into my toddler size clothes patterns. I just ordered more fabric lol So I really need to get busy with more clothes for Zoey.

Do you like the watermark laying in that way?? hmmmm is it too distracting???

Well,, I entered about 25 give aways.. and so far Zip.. nothing won yet.. = (
 How about you?? anyone win yet???

Thank God I'm a Country Girl!!

I'm running out of post titles....

This weather really bit me bad. I am outside a lot and not did a whole lot of sewing. Which I probably needed the break anyway!
Me and Zoey are usually playing in the sand or taking Baby for walks around the pond or going to a poultry farm to watch all the geese, ducks and roosters.. She is fascinated with roosters. She was crowing like one before she could walk. I'm so glad she is a county girl like her Mamaw!!
At the farm the big geese were honking up a storm, and following us along the fence. .Zoey finally said "YOU ARE TOO LOUD!!" lol She loved the big turkey. It gobbled up a storm at her. I told her he liked her and she wanted to pet it.. I said no he on guard and can't be disturbed. She helped feed the fish too, she even ended up calling my friend Granny LOL

We had a wienie roast down at the pond one day while she was here. She kept eating the relish out of the jar. Then she found a water bottle Doug had laying around and started squirting the fire and making it hiss. She always has to be doing something...
She loves walking in the "jungle" as she calls it and we find frogs and turtles and all sorts of critters.

We got our baby ducks!!! We ended up trading our pesky chicken for them. One crazy chicken for 4 ducks is a great bargain. plus they are funner! Zoey seems to think so!
As of today they are 5 days old. I put them in the smaller fish pond we have in our back yard first time yesterday and they went CRAZY! One of them is a dare devil and dives all the way down to the bottom and comes back up. Its fun to watch them play. I grew up with ducks and  gathering the eggs was usually my chore. They are soo good to eat!!

Yesterday me and Doug sat back by the bigger pond and it was so peaceful and the wind was blowing. I probably would of fell asleep if it wasn't for those pesky horsefly's swarming us. They hurt when they bite. But I'm so glad to live where we do. We have lived in bigger city's and its just not for me.. but at the time we didn't have a choice.. like the saying.. our home was where the Air Force sent us.

Here is what I have been making though! I made my own wallet pattern. I mean it wasn't hard at all. And there are a ka-zillion wallet patterns and tutorials out in crafty blog land but I wanted to make one for from me!!! = ) Actually this is my second pattern. The other one is a checkbook wallet I sell in my Etsy shop. I might make a tutorial out for it someday.
My plans were to post the free tutorial today.. but I need to wait for a few more weeks.. as I have something planned for this tutorial in a few weeks, I will keep you posted!

Here are a couple I made so far..This is the first one I made. It was taken apart a couple of times and I used Velcro on this for the closure. My thread bunched up in a couple of spots, I'm using this one now. I have to try it out before I send it out to the public!!!

 Plenty of room for cards in your pockets and a cash pocket behind it.

Then the second one I made I thought it could go to the Etsy stop.. Well I had to scratch that off..

I used a bigger seam allowance on the top of the card pockets and if I would of sewn around the outside edges to finish it off, the cards wouldn't fit.. GRRRR

So its in my grab bag I keep for presents or if one of my nieces needs something...

But this little lovely is my final outcome..

She is made perfect! Well I think so lol

I used the new fabric I received!! Apple of my Eye. I LOVE APPLES..and these are just so yummy.

You can purchase it from Julie in her shop at The Intrepid Thread. If she has any left! I bought a half yard bundle of the whole set.. hehe

(I hadn't put my snap on it yet.. I decide the snaps looked better then Velcro.)

Here is my new yummy fabric Apple of My Eye.

I took it over to my mom's yesterday and told her pick out any thing she wanted.. ( So there is 4 missing) She picked out 4 half yard pieces. I told her to make something for herself with it. She is always making things for everyone else.

I'm not one to buy alot of fabric and figure out what I make with it later on.. I'm more like ok I need this for this project now and buy it when I need it.... well I think I'm changing my ways..I already have my eyes set for Dress Up Days!!!

I do have one more thing to show off..but that will be next week.

I made a new planner cover for a simple little composition note book. I didn't interface it or nothing but I'm going to make another one soon and pad it with fusible fleece. So more Apple of My Eye will be in use! = )

Here's a little eye spy pic for you.. I lost my seam ripper......again....... can you find it for me???

lol 

* actually I'm showing off my new cutting mat I bought with some of my gift money from mother's day.

Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend!

Its all about the planning!

I didn't sew a lot to post but I did get new Etsy things posted up, sooo I guess I did sew!  = D

I added some new notebook with covers and little key chain pouches.

 Clicky on the Etsy store over there to check them all out!!

I wanted to share a planner that Katrianna over at PrettyChaotic sent to me to review that she has put together and its a great , PRETTY and functional planner! I myself am , like, obsessed with planners, notebooks, anything like that. So I very excited to get to review this one! Thank you Katrianna!

It follows a August 2012 - July 2013 Academic format. I printed a few pages out and it looks great! Its pretty simple to put together as well. Print and cut in half to make a 5.5" x 8.5" half size planner. You could punch you holes and put in a binder or take it to your local office supply store to have it bounded. When I made a bounded planner a couple of years ago my local store only charged one cent a page! plus the wire or plastic binding.
Here are a few pages to see for yourself.. Isn't the cover page pretty!!

 There are the monthly pages with lots of room to write your appointments...

 Pages for lists...

 More lists pages!!! (I love the check off boxes myself)

 There are weekly pages with a space for each person to keep reminders. Here she shows how it's filled...

She has some more images on her page at Prettychaotic if you want to view more. 

(Katrianna gave me permission to use these photos)

She has it marked down to $10 right now to print !! Regular $15. 

I think this planner would be a great family and blog planner !! Go check it out!

Well, I was going to participate  in the Sewmamasew give away day but things are just to hectic here and I did not get anything together to give away = ( 

But I will enter a few !!! That's always fun!!! 

So, last post I said something about exciting news for me.. I think its safe to tell a little bit ..I was just nervous about talking about it before it was official for us. 

This is going to be the view of our NEW front yard!!

See that house waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up there in the front, its the house I live in now. The tree line on the right of the picture is the driveway from the road. 

 Then just left of that is another part of the new front yard.. our little pond. We decided to build a full basement with rooms on top. I think I'm more excited of my new sewing room that will take up 1/4 the of the basement! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

We will let my oldest son, Zoey's daddy , rent the house we are in now. I TOTALLY CAN NOT WAIT! 

But the guy we thought was going to dig it out did not show up to go over the layout nor did he call back for 3 days!!!! So, now we are in search of another contractor.. UGHHHHHHH! People doesn't want money or what???!!! 

And plus we have to wait for my neice to move a house trailer off that sitting back behind where I took the photos. She is in the process of that .. yay! 

So,, anyways that was my exciting news. lol

Hope you all have a good weekend! 

New things..

Ooops I didn't get my post out this weekend.

I want to wish all the mothers and grandmothers a late happy mothers day. WE LOVE YOU ALL! I don't know about you but it should be mother's day every single day.
I went to my mom's for the day. I don't get to visit her as often as I like.. when I do its not to sit long to chat or nothing. So I packed up my huge tote of sewing goodies and off to mommas I went. I sewed some things I needed to finish and she worked on her laptop. Then we ate lunch and ate home made from scratch coconut cream pie......MY FAVORITE!!!

I've been working on new patterns.. Just some little items.. I worked out tutorials for these but no pictures yet to go with the tute.
Some of you know I love paper, pens, anything like that. So I made some little nifty things to put the paper goodies in.

 and open...
Then pink and white one on the top right isn't finished.. lol there's a pin stuck in it..I'll be making more of those flip top one's with some children's prints.These will go in the Etsy shop. Each one of these pattern's are mine. I actually measured out and everything!  There are tons in blog land similar and I wanted my own .. grinz = D

I received some goodies in the mail last week!!! All the way from Singapore!  My friend Jane from ProjectsbyJane blog takes care of her friends and I'm glad I can be one of hers! =)
Aren't the colors so colorful and fun!!! It came with a skirt pattern. The skirt sizes start at 5-6 so I will have to wait to make that for Zoey and well.. I don't think it will fit me. I will be making Zoey something from the fabric though! cute cute cute!! Thank you so much Jane!!!

I do not know how she knew I loved orange and flowers and pink is always fun!!!! but she hit the mark...
There's some white fabric there peeking in the back of it too..





















When I got home from my mom's I saw a small envelope sitting on my desk. It was in my oldest son's Stephen, (we pronounce it Steffen) handwriting and I thought awwww he got me a little something..
It was a gift card for Joann Fabrics. for......$100.. gulp.  I'm itching to go shopping!!!
For my own mother's day gift I bought myself a new camera!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you tell from my photos how colorful and rich and NOT BLURRY they are!!!!!!!? I'm not one to get all fancy and the best thing out there on the market.. but I wanted SOME quality and after Sasha showed me one she liked and her hubby reviewed it for me I was set. I hate to think and think about things. I make my decision and want it today. I purchased the this Nikon. It was on sale a week ago and with free shipping I went for it. For the price its a great little camera. I've not played with the video settings or nothing else yet. I've hardly had time to take any pictures if that..

I've been going to my local library every week because they been having a book sale.. I think I have purchased about 30 books for .10 cents to .25 a piece altogether. Last week they told me to come back on Monday and take anything I wanted.. I got about 5 more books.. lol.... and about 15 VCR movies.. yes I said VCR.. some of you young dogs and cats out there are probably googling that word .. I even had a VCR player stored in my closet.. (NO I'm not a hoarder.. but hey you never know when things come back in style!! ) I still have my vinyl lp's and small 45's too from the 70's!!! And they are coming back ! yay!
Anyways.. the movies I got are from Zoey. Disney movies mainly. We watched The Fox and The Hound today and she kept asking where Mickey was.. lol he was in the previews..

I want to announce something but I'm waiting as I have to wait until its official and final.... no.. I'm NOT pregnant. so get that idea WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY out of your minds............erase that thought.. NOW!
I'll be 48 in June.. I think... for the last 3 years I've been telling people I'm 46 .. just to keep it save ya know??
But hopefully I can tell you later in the week my surprise.........eeeeeeeeeeeee I'm excited!!!!!!! It has nothing to do with blogs, or sewing either.. lol

Look what my momma made.. She bought a pattern at a yard sale last year for a quarter and threw some scraps together and this popped out.. she hand quilted it. I love it.. It doesn't matter what kind of scraps she works with they always turn out like they were meant to be. There is a little bit of everything in there.

A game for ya.. one of these pictures has something extra LOL

My pet chicken tried to hop in my car today...sigh... she is about to go for a ride to my neighbors that has ducks and chickens.. see how many I can trade for her for some ducks! At least they will stay down at the pond!!! LOL

Have a nice week!!!

Indiana weather

I think mother nature likes to trick us "hoosiers" from Indiana... Once we put away our boots and jackets she is like HAHA POOF! its cold out again.. Then we walk out bundled up for the day and poof! HAHA you are peeling off layers.. Warm weather I do NOT gripe about..I love it. I love having the A/C on through the night and snuggle under the covers.. I know I can do that in the winter, but knowing I can also just go outside bare foot and not have to worry about warming the car up, or shoveling snow for Miss Baby for her to do her wee wee's. Yes I go out and shovel a little path out back and a little area for her to potty.. I would want someone like myself to help me out like that. If I would have to go out in the middle of winter to pee!!!!! lol
I just pray when I get older and frail (I'm about 60% there) my kids will WANT to take care of me, as I did for them. They can wipe my behind and feed me runny foods as I did them.. HAHA on you kids.. its in the Will! hehehehehe
But I don't know , that might be child abuse now days..

Not too much sewing this week. Been spending time outside while its nice and we bought Zoey a sandbox and she loves it. She calls it "building" .. Lets build gramma.. so I'm in the middle of it all piling up sand and she is smashing my castles.. kids always picked on me. I call her the Zozilla of Embury Road. Embury Road is the road I live on but they don't call it that anymore.. Its been changed so many times.. now we are down to numbers for 911 . They still can't find us...but anywho...

I made a mini charm square tote bag adapted from last weeks tote I showed.  I just put less squares in.. very technical ! hehe

I used a tutorial from Teresadownunder blog and just sized it down. My fabric stash of pretty fabrics are getting LOW.. So I had to make do what I had.. not too sure about the bottom gray?? Or the handles..

I made new business cards! Since I changed my Etsy store name and my email for contact orders I had to get more cards. I got tired of crossing out my old address and writing teeny tiny on the cards..

I am broke , like in 30 different ways right now. With a new tighter budget (hopefully temporary! ) , I set out to make my own. I looked around the web for ideas and the one's that really popped out to me where the sewn cards. Some were like all sewn. I had no time for that.. So I went with a simple little strip on one side. Aren't they cute? AND FREE!
Ok lastly, I made these for my shop.. Just a little fun item. Women's personal hygiene wallets. Aren't you tired of fumbling in the bottom of your purse to find these ? Or pull out your keys in a parking lot and one goes flying?? (lol remember that story?) They are listed in my shop now. I'm going to be making walletes and some key chains soon too. My bigger items aren't doing so well so thought I'd put something up to fit a smaller budget.. and I have FREE shipping stateside!! I do ship international of course with a small set fee for shipping...

Enjoy your week!!

It was bound to happen….

 

I think my odds were playing against me this week.. all in one day too! But another day came and I finished something I started last week! yay!

Couple of days ago me and Zoey went out to check the tiny baby chickens we purchased so our “pet” chicken could have some friends to gaggle with..or cluck or whatever they do together..

We started keeping them outside in a enclosed and sealed truck topper that set on the ground. It has a hinged door that lifts upwards. I put a large log in front of that so that they couldn’t get out.. well……that wasn’t the problem. It was things getting IN! GRRRR We are thinking a possum or raccoon lifted the door with their little human like hands and helped themselves to chicken dinners.Then I’m sure the stray cat population around me helped themselves to a few… I had the windows open that night and was up reading late and never heard a thing.. Me and Zoey went out to feed them and I saw the door up.. ut oh. I walked towards it and there were little feathers and some yucky stuff laying out.. Zoey saw that and said ewww the chickey pooped.. lol I peeked inside and saw a couple more “pooped out” chickies. I lead her away and said oh they are fine they don’t need to eat today! Sooooooooooo we still have the evil pet chicken left. She was kept in a cage in the garage because kept pecking the heads of the baby ones.. geeez

So we are looking for more baby chickens… I use to throw out scraps to the wild cats and all but no more. They do not have good manners…

Well the day kept getting better.. Me and Zoey went out to feed the fish.. (don’t worry none dead! ) But my cell phone is.. like sunk to the bottom. Zoey likes to about throw herself into the water along the edge. So I’m holding her and  my phone rings.. I lead her away from the edge . She let go of my hand about the time I answered my phone.. It was like slow motion.. I grabbed Zoey back and my phone like JUMPED out of my hand and did a belly dive into my pond. plop.

Me and Zoey just stared at the water. Then she goes… hehehhehe……mamma! OH NOOO YOUR PHONE!!!!!!! and kept babbling something in two year language and shaking her head.. ok, Zoey I get it.. Grandma is silly, but I saved you! lol The she said.. I’m sorry Gramma. awww I said wasn’t your fault.. Me and Doug tried to find it.. that water is cold and stinks.. fish poop..yuck. I said ok I wanted new phone so its gone ..

Later in the day my sister was in a car accident. She is sore but ok. But the guy that rammed her in the rear end isn’t feeling too good. He was air lifted to another hospital. I guess sis was saying she was going the speed limit (60) and she looked at this car speeding up behind her and just thought he would pass her in the other lane.. No I guess he thought the road was only for him and ran right into the back of her car. Next thing she knows glass from the back window flying around her and she bumping into something else.. He was probably yacking on the cell phone,, how can you NOT see a car in front of you?? hmmmm

Ok sorry I’m rambling on again.. I’m sure you have better things to do.. Here is my pictures of the week.. I wanted to make me a new summer purse.. I didn’t know this thing was so mammoth! So maybe it will be my library bag lol

Whadda think??

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I found this tutorial HERE by TeresaDownUnder. I feel in love with the minute I saw it! Then I knew at last what to do with all the scraps Sasha from Stitchedbysasha sent me.(thank you again Sasha!) Then I dug around in my fabric stash for the lining and bottom. Its bigger then I thought it was going to be.. I think I cut the squares down to maybe 6 on each side to make a smaller tote.. I added the pockts inside. I haven’t put a button on the top yet..

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I took the pictures outside today. I have the house closed up as we went from 60 degree weather to 85 weather in one day. So I keep the blinds drawn and the A/C on to keep it cool inside. But Baby was sure enjoying the day outside. She doesn’t tolerate much hot weather. So have to keep a eye on her outside. Her diabetes doesn’t like it. So you know she is spoiled because.. isn’t Chihuahua’s ancestries from Mexico?? lol

Oh last thing.. I was at my local library and well…bought more books at the book sale.. I CAN NOT PASS UP BOOKS! cheap books at that! I bought 6 more! I hope they sell them all before I go back lol

I’m still reading I Know This much is True by Wally Lamb. Its very good.

Have a good week!