Some Past projects...

Here are a few projects that I have completed a while ago but never shared here...  I'm sharing them now mostly because I am testing my new template... so here goes:

This is a dress I made for a friends baby girl last year... the fabric is from Heather Bailey, I can't remember the pattern but if you want to know- I'll look it up- just leave a comment.


This is part of a "feature" wall in my daughters room. She loves fashion, so when we found these prints at Z gallerie I knew they would work in her room (btw... since z gallerie is going out of biz these are on clearance now). I had the quote cut from vinyl.
This is an "organizational" project I have yet to perfect. This is our mud room. The purpose of these clipboards is to hold any notes, permission slips, homework sheets etc.. for each of the kids.  I hung them from some stars I had left over from our last house.  The top sheet is their chore chart... 1 check for each thing they do each week... then payment for total # of checks. It works great when we remember to keep it up- keeping it up is usually the problem.

Our mudroom is set for a "revamp" in the next few weeks, so these will have to move... we will see where they "end up".  I have loved having them as a 'catch all' for the kids papers so I am going to try to keep them.

I'm workin' on it...

I'm working on my blog template today... I know it's "messed up" please forgive.... I'll have it fixed in no time...

I'm updating my links to the side, if you are not included and would like to be, just leave me a comment I'll add you... and I'd love to be added to your link list.

Clockface for YW theme...

At church we have an annual theme for the youth programs. The one this year is a scripture from 1 Timothy.

I work with the teenage girls at church and our group of leaders wanted something for them to put in their rooms this year to remind them of the theme. We came up with the idea of a clock... We purchased cheap clocks at IKEA, and I am, as we speak in the process of spray painting the frames black. Then we will use scrapbook paper for the face. (I'll post a finished picture)

One of the other leaders came over last week and we were able to come up with a design for the clock face that I am so excited about that I thought I would share. We are going to print it on a transparency film then "embellish" it up to make it cute.

**** Also... since the image is copyrighted by 2P's and Heidi Swapp please don't copy the image to your harddrive... but feel free to use the "idea" you can buy the fonts at http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/ and the clock digital image at http://www.heidiswapp.com/

Links

I am finally spending some time improving my blog today... I put up a bunch of links of places I like to visit in cyber space... enjoy!

now on to fix the design... (not as easy :-))

Valentines Banner

Last week I made this banner for Valentines day... The "bases" are an image from the Cricut Storybook cartridge, set at 5.5" and the pattern paper is cut to 4x6... The letters are 4" from the same cricut cartridge.
I was able to go through my "stash" to get stuff to make it and ended up using some paper that I bought at Costco ages ago... I love when I can use stuff that I have had laying around for a while.

It's pretty easy to assemble, I did put eyelets in the upper corners to help the paper from tearing.

Scrapbook Calendar...

I have a friend who's birthday is Dec. 30th.. so close to the start of the new year and perfect timing for a "year in the life" calendar.

Each page has a calendar for that month and a place for a photo and journaling. The idea I had was to have her take a picture that represented that month and at the end of the month jot down some thoughts/feelings for that month so by her next birthday she would have a keepsake of that year of her life.

All supplies, Close to My Heart

Christmas Card Keepsake Box....

I had an idea this year to make a box to keep Christmas cards in each year. Originally I was going to make it for me, but the idea evolved and I ended up giving them to my family members this year. (so far not one for me, but there is still time) After I had the box idea I thought it would be nice to include a "mini" scrapbook inside. So I used some digital kits that I had and made some covers out of chipboard and bound it all using my bind it all. Voila! mini scrapbook. There are 10 pages all together, with pages like, our Christmas Card, Letter to Santa, Photos & Memories. The book fit inside the box, so it is a nice keepsake of Christmas this year, a box of cards along with a few quick memories.

*** the boxes are from Close to My Heart and are plain white, you can order them from me. I got the chipboard for the books from clearbags.com... digital images from designerdigitals.com

Neighbor Gift

Here is an idea for a quick neighbor or teacher gift (it's what I gave my kids teachers/bus drivers) and some friends and neighbors this year.

I found a place online to order bulk popcorn buckets (like you get at the movie theater) and popcorn seasoning (we have a "movie" popcorn maker at home so I guess I have popcorn on the brain this year). I put the popcorn seasoning in jars I found for .99 then added an assortment of candy bars (love Costco), a cup of unpopped popcorn and some popcorn bags to serve it in. Along with a note telling them to take a break this season and enjoy a movie with their family at home. I'm happy with how it turned out- and I still have a bunch of popcorn buckets- so I might have to come up with some more ideas for them..

Apron

I have a good friend whose birthday is really close to Thanksgiving every year. Because of this it's always hard to celebrate it with her (hard to get every one's schedules co-ordinated)... So after a couple of years of really belated birthday celebrations I decided this year she needed and "extra" something...so I made this apron. It's a new pattern I found - it's easy to sew and I like the way it turns out.

Another Diaper Bag

I saw this bag in the new Amy Butler book and knew I had to make one... I was so pleased with how it turned out. The pattern was a bit difficult.. it was one of the harder bags I have made. I added a detachable shoulder strap (not shown in the picture).

Because I need another project like I need a hole in the head...

I stumbled on this online - a really cute 12 days of Christmas project.. It's a digital kit so cut and print and glue.. pretty easy huh... and I still have a couple of days until it starts to get ready...

I think we are going to do it... because like I said- I need another project right now like I need a hole in the head.  

Reversible Jumper

One of my favorite dress patterns for little girls is the "lucy" pattern by Childrens Corner. It sews in less than an hour.. and the fun of it is embellishing the fronts and backs. I have seen all kinds of cute things put on the front- it is great for making "seasonal" outfits for kids becuase it only takes 1 yd of each fabric and is quick..
Here is a Christmas one I did for my daughter. On one side is a snowman and the other Santa- this way she will be able to wear it after Christmas and into January/February.
(oh yeah, pretend it's not wrinkled.... :-))

25 days of December... are you doing it?

For the last couple of years, Ali Edwards has done a December Daily journal/scrapbook. I really need to slow down and appreciate the Christmas season for all it has to offer... I am hoping that journaling it a day at a time will help me not get so caught up in the business and enjoy it more.

This year I decided to jump on the bandwagon and make one too. The trick she says is to have your book made and your "stash" together before December 1. So this weekend I worked on the book- The best part is that so far they only thing I had to buy was some digital scrapbook images. The rest I just went though my stash and found stuff that would work. I just pulled out anything red/green/black/cream and vintage looking. I bought the Basic Grey Christmas paper last year on clearance so I used that for most of the book.
The inside pages of the book are 9x12...(that's just what I picked everyone does different sizes etc). To make the covers I took 2 9.5x12.5 pieces of chipboard and decoupaged paper on them. The title on the front is a digital image, but the #25 are brads. I rounded the corners then inked the edges...
Here is a pic of my "stash" the idea is to take a picture every day until the 25th.. then sit down and quickly journal and add pictures to the album. So having everything all in one place should help with the construction/embellishment.

I bought on www.designerdigitals.com a set of brushes (they are for sale under Ali Edwards) that are #'s. I printed them out on cardstock in a size that fits in my circle punch. These will be used to number the "days" throughout the book.

The "filler pages". I wanted a very hodge podge look... So the pages are all different sizes and all by different manufacturers. Some are vellum and some are cardstock. I need to go to office max to get reinforcement rings so that the lighter pages won't tear in years to come.

You can not see it very well in this picture but one of the pages is a 12x12 pocket page protector that I cut down to 9x12... there are now spaces for 3 4x6 photos and 3 3x3 photos or embellishments.

I am planning on covering up the backs of the pages with photos/journaling blocks etc. so that the words/bar codes of the papers don't show though.

This was a 12x12 piece of "shaped' paper that I cut in half then glued the halfs together- so the back of it looks the same as the front. There is also a vellum page behind it..

Clock transparency...

Scalloped cardstock cut down..

Jenni Bowlin bingo cards- I'll probably put pictures on the back then my "circle" # on the front to show which day it is for..

The inside cover... Mini calendar is also Jenni Bowlin (I get her monthly kit- I'm glad I did, I had quite a stash of stuff to pick from)..

That's all for now- I am going to post pictures as I work on it. I REALLY want to have the patience to finish it with a photo a day... so I figure if I promise to post the pictures here that is a good motivation for me to stay consistent with it.

Diaper Bag

Lately I have taken to making Diaper bags.. I don't know why- I am way past needing one and don't anticipate needing one in the future. I have made quite a few in the past and wish I had taken pictures of them.. so I am going to try to be better in the future. I can never make the same bag twice and change the pattern a bit each time I make one. I guess I'm on the quest for the perfect diaper bag...
This bag started when I was at a Fabric store and saw a charm pack- (a charm pack is a stack of fabric pre-cut into 5" squares, usually used for quilting) I looked at it and thought "I could do something with all those squares. So I got the charm pack and 1 yard of matching fabric and went home. I started laying out the pieces and got this bag together. Then I decided it wasn't thick enough so I stipple quilted the front and back using warm and natural as the lining. I also used interfacing on the lining - the first time I did this and really liked the stability it gave the bag.
For the changing pad I just bought a cheap changing pad at target then added a layer of matching fabric and cut up a plastic shower curtain and sewed them all together..
FYI: the bag is 4 charm squares wide, 3 high with 1 charm square on the sides.

Memo Board Idea...

This project is not 100% completed but I thought I would share it... I posted it on my regular blog awhile ago but thought I'd give some instructions..

I was really excited about this project for my son's room. It was one of those "ah ha" moments. I was trying to think of how to get materials for a memo board for his room and thinking about sheet metal at the store but it was the wrong size and sharp, then I started thinking "What else is metal?" and "ah ha" license plates- PLUS his room is transportation themed so even better.

My Mom helped out a ton and got me some old license plates that were my grandpa's when she was in Missouri. The others I had or had saved.... Okay big NOTE here- NEW license plates are NOT the right metal for magnets to stick- just the old ones- so hunt yard sales, junk shops and antique stores.

1-After I picked out the plates I wanted, I laid them out on the floor (after I had given them a GOOD scrub!), then measured exactly how much space they would take up.

2- I then went to Lowe's and bought a piece of plywood and had them cut it- (easy part - they cut for FREE!!). I looked though the store until I found some screws that I liked how they looked (since they would show).

3- Spray painted the board white.

4- Attached the plates with screws

5- Use finish nails to attach the board to the wall.

6- (step that is not done yet) use 1x4 to make a frame around it (it will be painted red).