Sew Happy

Whenever I'm invited to a baby shower my first thought is "What can I make?" I want the new parents to have a special gift from Dynamo and I that's different than every other. One that was made with love and care and unique! Including imperfections!



So I accessorized this burp cloth with some free motion stitching! I just love that technique! It's basically creating a sewn collage! And then I made a couple of bibs for the baby girl on the way!



The rule is not to look too closely! I'm not a good hand sewer so finishing off, etc. is a little tough for me! But, that's what makes it special right?

Once our friends told us they were having a baby I started working on crocheting an afghan for them!



When they said it was a girl I added the flower!



This particular pattern was very time consuming, but not hard. It was small thread and lots of single crochets! But, it really did turn out to be beautiful I think! It was totally worth the effort!

We gifted these goodies last weekend and hope the new baby on the way loves them!

Tote-ally Cool

First, I'd like to apologize for the quality of the pictures in this post. I was in a bit of a hurry, and the room was dark, and I'm an amateur, etc. etc.! But, I wanted to show you the beach tote I made for a friend who's getting married soon!

Since she loves France, I tried to find a fabric that reminded me of that. Amy Butler's Love fabric line spoke French to me!



I decided to make the tote simple and functional. Basically, the bride can take it on her honeymoon and carry her sunscreen and towels.



The tote is different on each side! I love doing that for some reason. I think it makes it seem like two bags in one!

I also added gussets on the sides because I think it helps to give the bag shape.



Have a great weekend. You know what we'll be doing! Yes...biking!

Blues and Greens for the Bride

Over the weekend I attended a bridal shower for a friend getting married in July! I combed the registry to get an idea of her colors and decided to make her a kitchen gift set. I wanted her to have something special and handmade. I wanted her to have something you couldn't buy in a store. Something she would know was made just for her.

Here was her card...

Yes, I'm still on the free motion sewing kick!
Here's a closeup...

I made her a hot pad holder...

And, a decorative dish towel...

And, an apron...

And, they all match!!!!

Scrappin' Moments

I needed to catch up on my February pics from the Quilt Show Momma and I attended along with another family moment I wanted to remember with my cousin. Here was the result...

The Birdie Sling

The last part of Lindsey's gift was a beach bag/tote bag. She told me that she loves bags and colors, so I wanted to make her something to maybe take with her on her honeymoon or tote stuff around town!

I used Amy Butler's Birdie Sling pattern. Another fabulous pattern by Amy Butler, let me tell you!!! This is the second time I've used this pattern and it was easier than the first time. It certainly wasn't hard to begin with because her patterns are so user friendly, but the more you make something, the better you get at it.

Of course it had to be different on each side. Everything I make is two-sided in case you haven't noticed! Maybe this could be my signature :)

It turned out fabulous! The colors were bright and spring-like. The bag is the perfect size. I know she will enjoy using it!

I try very hard to think about the person and their personality when I make something. Every card, bag, purse, etc. that I make is special to me. Just like the person I make it for. 

If you're looking for a great pattern, this is it! All of Amy's patterns are great! 

pretty blue purse

A good friend asked if I could make her a purse using blues. So, this is what I came up with...

I really love the blues and greens in this fabric. Of course I had to make it different, so here's the other side...

I really like a two-sided purse. It is different (you definitely won't find another one like it) and gives you different options for different outfits. You just carry the side you want people to see facing outwards.

I was very pleased with how this purse turned out. It is the Frenchy Bag from Amy Butler. I absolutely LOVE her patterns. They are so user friendly and Rachel proof!

I sometimes alter the patterns just slightly to fit my taste, but overall it is the same purse. After you use the pattern a few times, you learn what works for you and what doesn't.

I do hope my friend likes it! But, if not...that's ok...I'll make another one!

Have a great Thursday!

some sweet stitches

I absolutely love the sweet stitches line in the new Spring Occasions Mini from Stampin' Up! It's so vintage and retro, which I love. The paper is so adorable and the colors are fantastic! Don't you agree?

Here's a closer look...

This paper is so cute. It's hard to decide which side of the two sides I like the best. Be sure to check out the mini catalog by clicking on the image in the side bar to the right of the blog!

It just inspires me to sew! Happy Friday!

Preserving Christmas

I can't tell you how many pictures we take at Christmas and every holiday we celebrate. This Christmas I decided that I was definitely going to preserve our memories by scrapping them. As I finish up the pages I'll share them with y'all.

Here are some of the first Christmas 2010 pages...

Mom and I on Christmas Eve...

I love old colorful record covers, so I've been trying to incorporate them into my art. This was the result. The wording was perfect for a Christmas Eve page.

Hopefully the closeups will show you the random stitching I did with my sewing machine. You know how I love to add stitching to stuff!

And, I found some great embellishments on sale after Christmas at JoAnn Fabric! They were K&Company (I love that stuff)!!!

And, the next page...

Did I tell you how very much I love Stampin' Up!'s Christmas Designer Series Paper! Deck the Halls and Jolly Holiday ROCK!!!! It's almost too beautiful to use!

And, the final page of the day...

More sewing and embellishments with the Jolly Holiday paper! Of course I had to add some vintage sheet music too!

Have a great weekend, everyone!! They say more snow next week for us! Better get some biking in this weekend then!

A thank you gift

A friend gave me a box of sewing goodies that she found when she cleaned out her parents' house. It was so thoughtful of her to share her mom's things with me. Inside the box were old spools, miscellaneous ribbon, patterns, and fabric remnants. I was like a kid in a candy store! Here's a pic of the inside of the box!

Well, I wanted to do something to thank her for sharing these beautiful things with me. So, I started looking through the fabric remnants and had an idea. I decided I'd make her a tote bag out of the fabric in the box. That way she could have a special memory. I left the fabric as it was...you could even see a little yellowing from age. I thought that would mean even more. She can always wash that away later, but for now it can stay.

So, here was the result...

And, a closeup...

I think this fabric was maybe from an old tablecloth. It was so beautiful. I gave it to her yesterday. Here was the box I put the bag in, which I altered a bit with gesso. I added a giant paper bow, which I made from old sheet music and vintage lace. I think it turned out great! I may just have to make more of these bows! They are so fun to make!

Of course, here are two closeups for you! I had to add glitter!

Happy Wednesday!

October is coming soon!

Shortly it will be October, which is one of my favorite months. You know why? Well, because Halloween is one of my most favorite holidays!!! It's just so much fun to dress up. The colors are so spookalicious!!! Purple, orange, green, black...almost any color can become spooky! I was so excited to find an awesome fat quarter bundle at a quilt shop the other day. It was full of beautiful Halloween prints. Is it really possible to say that Halloween prints are beautiful? Well, to me, yes! I just had to buy the bundle! I've been diligently working on little projects ever since. I'll share more projects as the month goes on.

In anticipation of October, I decided that I wanted to make myself a little tote bag for the month! I carry a tote to work everyday with my junk in it. I have lunch, magazines, books, and other stuff. So, thinking of that criteria, I created my own pattern and got to work! It's super easy to make these totes and really fun. The longest part for me is always cutting out the material. Here is side 1 of the bag!

 A closeup of side 1 here (I just love those spiders don't you?)...

And, here's side 2...

I just loved the big green dots! All the dots make your eyes go crazy huh? How fun!!!
And, for the handles and lining (I always line my bags because it gives them a nice finished look) I used some white dots from my clown costume material from last year!

Happy Tuesday!