My I phone made me lazy

I am not totally giving up on this blog.   But since I have been on Instagram,  I have just been sharing what I make on there and not real motivated to blog about it.    So if you would like to stay in touch or see what I making you can find me here  or here on flickr.  Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!

I'm Back and Peter Pan Party

I did not intend to be away from my blog this long.  Things got really busy at the same time I became overwhelmed with reading so many blogs, checking Flickr, and Instagram.  I did barely any sewing during my break.  I made the Straight Stitch Society I phone case.  I'll get a picture for my blog to show and I finished a shawl for my mom.  I need a picture of that too.  I do have pictures of my son's 4th birthday.  So I will show that because I spent a little time making stuff for it.

The theme was Peter Pan.  I did look at Pinterest for ideas but I think the hats and party bags were my own.  I was going to do pin the feather on Peter Pan's cap but some website with party ideas (can't remember which one) suggested pin the x on Neverland.  I copied this map.  I looked at many different cakes to come up with one that worked for me. I tried to keep everything simple.  I realized earlier this week kids would need something to protect their clothing during the painting.  I used my cricut to cut out the peter pan shadow and just stuck the vinyl on the aprons.  It was so easy.  I also used my cricut to make the banner and the party hats too.

It was a fun party (or so I am told - it was a bit of a blur to me kind of like our wedding day).  I had the kids color while we waited for everyone to arrive. It was a young crowd after all.  Then the main project was to paint treasure boxes.  We then played the game.  Next was cake and then presents.  That was it.  People hung out talking while the kids played with the presents and then we had to leave.  We had the party at Michael's.  They gave us an employee to help with everything and she was wonderful.  I didn't realize how much work throwing a simple party (not even at my home) would be.  Luke really enjoyed it and that made it all worth it.

Back soon with some regular scheduled sewing posts!!!!

this and that

I rushed to make this jacket because it was starting to get cold here but it has been really beautiful and and warm since I finished it on Wednesday.  But that didn't stop Stella from modeling it this morning in the park.  She was really excited to wear it.

This is the Serendipity coat from Make it Perfect.  The only hard time I had was with the sleeves when I was sewing the lining and exterior jacket together.  I gave up and finished it like it was a reversible jacket.  I was not very patient.  Next time I'll try to get help on doing it the right way.  The fabric is Get it Together Corduroy from Superbuzzy.  I couldn't resist the squirrels and acorns.  And since I was impatient to finish it, I cut the buttons off an old-too small-leather jacket of mine because I did not have the right buttons in my button drawer. Okay - the buttons aren't really in a drawer but spread out in a mess in my cellar.  They are suppose to be in a drawer. 

 

I made a size three thinking it would be a little big since my daughter is a 2.  It fits pretty good and feels a little snug when buttoning.  I may need to end up moving the buttons a little.

 

I was also busy Wednesday making Luke's birthday party invitations.  He turns four in November and this will be his first birthday party with friends.  We have only had small immediate family parties up until now.  Our place is small so we are having it at Michaels.  Michaels can only have up to 10 kids including Luke and Stella but I wouldn't want it any bigger.  Luke had many choices but that is where he wants it.  He just loves to make things.  Here is a picture of the invitation which lets you know what theme he picked.

I have a Cricut which I rarely use now but does come in handy at times.  I was pretty happy with how these came out given that I didn't spend too much time on them.  Luckily I only had to make six.

Here is some more random stuff that is important to me this week-

I  tried a favorite new recipe on Wednesday(it was a busy day).  The pumpkin pie milkshakes were perfect.  They are so easy.  I think I should make milk shakes at least every other day.  

My parents gave me their old iphone.  I opened the box this morning.  I am so excited to do Instagram properly,  instead of just stalking people on Instagram on my laptop.  The first two apps I downloaded where Instagram and Pinterest.  I can't say I am that interested in texting or calling people on the phone.  Does anyone know any other good free crafty apps? or recipe ones?

We love decoupaging.  And I love to do patchwork-like projects with paper.  We did the same thing as here but used a pumpkin shape.  Just looking at how young my boy looks in that post from back in February hurts my heart a little. 

Right now I am looking forward to some knit sewing, corn maze wandering, and new recipe making this weekend.  What are you looking forward to?

Halloween Costumes

I think I am back from my break.  Well I am posting today but I still have to figure out a way to balance everything.  I think I just want to accomplish far more than is possible in one day and have to accept that I can't do it all.   I really enjoy having a little blog so that I can connect with other crafty people.  I'll keep trying.  Enough about that and onto the costumes.

I love love love making Halloween costumes.  I am so happy I know how to sew so that I can make the kind of costumes that I want to.  October is really a dream come true for me.

Tinkerbell was inspired from this costume.  Mine is no where near as awesome but Stella and I still love it.  I used the Oliver and S Fairytale dress pattern like the one from the Queen of the Flies blog.  I bought some polyester satin from Joanns.  The seams don't lie real flat but it was fine for a costume.  I kind of winged it making the apron using some polyester organza also from Joanns.  The wings were made with this tutorial from Make It and Love It.  I cased the elastic with the same fabric as the dress so it wouldn't show.

I followed this tutorial from Make It and Love It for Peter Pan's shirt, knife, and belt.  It was easy and I love how it came out.  For the leggings I used the Oliver and S Playtime leggings pattern.  It was easy though it didn't come out perfect since it was my first time sewing knits.  Again I thought it was good enough for a Halloween costume.  I used this pattern for the hat.

On Saturday was the Halloween costume parade at the Harvest Festival in my town.  I think Halloween costume parades were created by moms who make their kids' costumes and want them to be worn more than once and in the daytime.  We had a great time though Stella kept deciding to kneel in the middle street while walking.

Is it bad that I am already planning next year's costumes?

another break

I am just feeling like I am too focused on the computer lately so I am taking another break from my blog, reading blogs, flickr etc...  I doubt it will be for too long.  I can't imagine not sharing our Halloween costumes. 

Hello Fall

This is a sampling of all the fun we have been having this season so far.  I forgot to bring the camera with us apple picking but that was really fun too. Tomorrow we go to a fair.

 I have been slowly working on Halloween costumes.  Stella's costume is almost finished and Luke's costume has aways to go.  I enjoy making the costumes more than I could have ever imagined. 

The only finished item I have to show is this pair of mittens.  And it is just the shell with no lining.  But they are now finished because I have become allergic to the yarn.  So I am skipping the lining and I will give them as a gift as is.  I was heartbroken when I first realized I was allergic but I have the rest of my life to make myself mittens so really it is okay.  And they only took so long because I put them down for 6 months or so.  I guess I can never have an alpaca farm (the yarn is alpaca) but I already have way to many hobbies so it wouldn't have worked anyway. 

I hope you are all enjoying the start of the season!

Weekend

Yesterday was so fun.  I took an intermediate sewing class and started working on Stella's Halloween costume.  And I was the only one is the class so it was more like a private lesson.  Part of the fun was just talking to my instructor.  I just love being around others who sew and make things.  And I learned a lot too.  I feel much more confident now doing an invisible zipper.

To show my appreciation to my husband for letting me out of the house, I made this yummy breakfast. I used cinnamon bread.   When I came home from my class it was naptime.  Naptimes on the weekend are really special when my husband is home.  We get to watch TV together.  The kids stay up so late in the evening (8:30-9:00) that these nap times are the only time Matt and I can hang out on the couch together.  I cross-stitched while we watched Breaking Bad (I love that show and will be sad when it is over).  Then both cuties woke up but then both fell back asleep on us on the couch.  So we got to watch more TV and have them sleeping on us.  I loved that even more than cross-stitching.

It is a beautiful fall day here today.  I would have loved to take the kids to the playground or go apple picking.  But my asthma isn't good after the cold I had last week so I thought it was better for me to stay home.  Even though we were indoors I thought we could still do something to celebrate fall.   This summer the majority of the kid crafting was unstructured- what ever they felt like- crafting.  I think that kind is the most important.  But we all enjoy doing planful projects with a cute finished product too.  So I decided we were making scarecrow decorations today.

I love using toilet paper and paper towel rolls for crafts.  We used yarn for the hair and cupcake liners for the hats.  Duct tape holds the hair and hats together and is used to attach the hair  to the head too.  I was going to use scrapbook paper for the clothes but when I was in the basement looking for paper I saw my huge basket of scrap fabric.  And fabric makes more sense for the clothes anyway.  The kids again used Duck tape to adhere the clothes.  I stabbed holes for the kids to stick the pipe cleaners in for the arms.  I was going to have them draw the eyes on, but Luke suggested googlie eyes.  Why didn't I think of that?  The smiles are marker.  And for the last touch, they tucked straw in the shirt.  Okay it really isn't straw but dead chives from my herb garden.  Close enough. 

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend too!

Down with the Sickness/Before I Blogged Halloween

Back to school equals back to the kids getting sick all the time.  And we are.  Look at those little pink feverish faces camped out on the kitchen floor.  Stella is not as miserable as she looks.  It started with Luke Sunday night.  So there has not been much crafting this week.  But I really am okay with it.  Taking care of them is the best reason to put crafting on hold. 

I am in the mood to blog, the kids are happily watching Peter Pan, and we are starting to plan this years costumes (well I guess I have been planning since last Halloween) so I thought I could share last year's costumes.  Stella's cape was made using the cape pattern in Oliver + S Little Things to Sew and her dress was made using the  Oliver + S apple picking dress pattern. I highly recommend both patterns.   I no longer have the apple fabric so I don't know who made it.  I used a red suiting wool for her cape and little red riding hood fabric for the lining (from Superbuzzy).  I used a pattern from Joann's for the wolf costume.  I am sorry I can't find it.  And the fake fur was from Joann's.  It was my first time sewing with fake fur and boy does it shed. 

I was so happy with how they came out.  My town does on a Halloween Costume parade in mid October which is great because then the costumes get to be worn at least twice and once in the day light.  The pictures were taken the day of the parade. 

 

awful news

The awful news is not mine.  Other than Luke and I not feeling great today we are doing wonderful.  And I am actually try to embrace a pajama day of not doing much.  But I just read about this poor girl who had her quilt stolen at a fair.  Here is the story.  It made me cry.   I pray the quilt is returned to her soon.

Penguin Backpack

 Today is my son's first day of pre-school year 2 (he is on the three year pre-school plan since he has a November birthday).  Thursday I thought I would call the school and see if he needed anything.  Last year he just needed a change of clothes.  But this year I was told that he needed a backpack and slippers.  Well I ordered the cutest slippers on Zappos and they arrived the next day.  I knew when I heard he needed a backpack that I really wanted to make him the Penguin Backpack from Oliver and S Little Things to Sew.  I was just a little worried that it was above my skill level and that I wouldn't get it done in time.  But I finished it just in time (last night) and actually thought the pattern was not that tricky after all.  

I used a lightweight blackish denim from Joann's.  It has 1 % spandex so it has a little stretch so I had to interface all of it.  I had a difficult time finding main fabric that I like.  There was a thicker solid black with no stretch but I really wanted it to look textured.  I didn't have anything in my scraps that I liked for the beak or belly pocket (hard to believe).  So I bought some DS quilting cotton at Joann's.   I was only able to find one inch strap adjusters at Joann's (and I did not have time to shop around) so I made one inch straps.

 I finished it last night when it was getting dark and then we kind of barely made it to school on time this morning so this is it for pictures.  I will try to get some up close ones later since I love the beak and belly pocket fabrics.  And Luke loves it too.  He actually announced his love for it when he saw the outer bag finished.  It made me very happy especially since he is pretty honest.  I am so proud of him and I feel pretty proud of myself for making this.  I wasn't sure I could do it and was concerned that I would be at Target late last night looking at backpacks. 

I am linking up at Sew Cute Tuesday at Better Off Thread.

My Stop On the Hanami Tester's Tour

At the risk of sounding like a huge dork (and using the work dork might be dorkie in itself), this is the most exciting blog post I have written.  Today I get to be part of the StaightGrain Hanami Tester's Tour.  I was so lucky to quickly respond to An when she requested pattern testers back in March for her bubble dress.  As a result I was able to test that pattern, her Tinny dress, and now the Hanami.  They are all such wonderful patterns in every way possible: clear detailed instructions, detailed pictures, and wonderful designs.  Here is a picture of An's beautiful daughter wearing a Hanami top with details about the pattern.

In the past week I have seen so many beautiful versions of the Hanami, I really want to try everyone of the options now.  For the first one I chose to do a cross back dress.  I am pretty much in the fall sewing mode now so I chose a corduroy with the hopes of getting a shirt underneath.  We  have cold falls here in Maine.  I used Denyse Schmidt Chicopee Corduroy.  I love how it came out.  I lined it with a cute little house fabric (oops can't find what it is called - sorry).  The dress is fitted and looks perfect without a shirt so I was surprised that Stella can wear a shirt under it as well and the dress still looks great.  Are you ready for picture overload?

It is hard in the pictures to see the vintage looking buttons (from Joann's) that I used or the lining so here is a picture of the dress on the hanger.

This pattern (along with the other StraightGrain patterns) can be purchased here.  And if for some reason you didn't get to see the other dresses on the blog tour you must go to StraightGrain and start looking around.  I think there may be something like 40 blogs on this tour and many bloggers made more than one.  I know I am a slacker.  Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour!

Perfect Weekend

I really love making pillows now but this will be the last one for a little while I  think.  The three I made this summer were for a Facebook Pay It Forward thingy.  Here is the last one.  I used the Diamond  pillow cover pattern by Amanda from Crazy Mom Quilts as a guideline.  I didn't want to do a binding (since my favorite thing about pillows is no binding) so I added a border and made my squares (which aren't really squares now) smaller. One thing I really love about this pattern is the directions for the envelope backing.   I folded  the back pieces in half  instead of hemming.  It makes the back feel sturdier and look better.   I am not sure what the fabric I used is called.  I have had it for over 5 years.  The quilting was fun.  I made loopey dupes.  I am not sure if there is really name for it but I am going with loopey dupes..  I was just having fun and trying something different for me.  It is kind of hard to see in the picture. 

 My afternoons this weekend (while my little cuties slept) I was busy with this pillow.  And the morning were spent at our favorite beach.  We like to get there early (by 8) when hardly one is there and eat our breakfast at the beach.  I made my favorite breakfast cake.  Friday I made these recipes and ate yummy leftovers this weekend too.  Family time outdoors, baking, yummy food, and sewing really made this a perfect weekend.  My food pictures stink (I don't even try anymore) so here are some pictures from the beach.  

I'm linking up to Sew Cute Tuesday and Thursday Threads.