Construction Update

Some new photos of our place. The second floor is up next comes the roof!

In exchange...

These are the items I made for Sandra my knitting partner who knitted my the hats, dog toy, and scarf.

A large tote bag with a removeable scarf and tons of pockets, a pencil pouch lined in turtle fabric, a wallet with a shrinky-dinks button of her pup. All items are patterns I created.

Our New Place is Taking Shape...

The slab has been poured and the walls are going up! That's me in the half bath and other shots of the progress being made! It's so exciting that I dance a jig in honor of it all.

It was like Christmas!

Today it was so much like Christmas I could hardly believe it! First off check out the post below to see the progress they are making on our new place, secondly I got goodies from two different swaps.

This bag came from highway16 it is a great bag that will leave my hands free for dealing with Lucy and Sally. The hat and scarf came from Sandra. She's a wonderful knitter! She knitted up a tug toy for the girls too. They've been playing with Chuck all evening!

Pink Lemonade Apron for "Tie One On"

Here is my submission for the "Tie One On" Apron Showcase(http://angrychicken.typepad.com/tieoneon/vintage_aprons/index.html). I'm really proud of how my embroidery came out. Especially the ice cubes.

Details: Fully lined with a ribbon waist band and ties. The glass was done by layering the following in this order starting with the bottom: sheer metallic fabric, yellow cotton, one ice cube, a layer of pink tulle, ice cube, pink tulle, ice cube and lemon slice, then pink tulle, mint sprig and an ice cube, then pink tulle, and lastly clear vinyl. Clear vinyl was used to give the illusion of glass for well the glass, but as a bonus is protect the tulle from catching on everything and snagging. The ice cube fabric was this sheer silver fabric I found awhile back in the remnant bin, $0.25 for a full yard!

I really like it and I think I'll get some great use out of it entertaining during the summers at our new place.

Claire's sporting her bib

This is my friend's sweet little Claire. She's showing off her giraffe bib I mad her. It's a pink and yellow giraffe print flannel on the front and a white flannel backing for super absorbency! Teething can be a drooly experience after all! This is the same sweetie that received that green/red/black quilt I posted a little while back.

She's a real cutie with soooo much hair!

A Blue Reversible Bag

I made this bag to swap with a friend for a bag she'll make me. She got her's the other day and mine is on the way here.

I drafted up the pattern myself. Four pockets on the inside, two on the out side, but it is reversible. The blue fabric is a dyed cotton and the tan is a narrow rib cord.

The snake is a "Purse Guard Snake" that protects your stuff from others. See they reach in your purse and scream,"Ahh! A Snake!" He's made of felt with button and glass bead eyes.

Good bye Ranger...

Well the ranger drove off today to it's new owner I think Chuck almost cried but he and Mikey made a first refusal agreement on it, which put Chuck at ease a little.

It has been a great truck and we have a lot of fond memories with it.

Construction Update

Here's a pic of what our place looked like today! We met with the builder for the pre-construction meeting and he told us that concrete was going to be tomorrow or Friday depending on weather. Then framing is to follow! I can't wait to have a real kitchen to get some serious cooking and baking done!

Digital camera has a new cozy home...

When I finally got a chance to take and post a picture of the case I made for our digital camera. The lining is a grey waterproof rip-stop fabric and the shell is a Wolfpack red corduroy fabric. The trim is black fleece and I added a grommet to accommodate the cord handle of the camera so it will double as the case handle. It's just large enough to accommodate the camera the computer cable and a set of back-up batteries. Each of which has a their own mini grey waterproof rip-stop cinch top bag. There is an iron on batting between the fabrics for added cushion to keep it safe from bumps and drops.
I drafted this pattern myself.

I Love Horror Flicks

So one of the things my husband and I have in common is our great love of horror flicks, thank goodness for both of us. We love the cheesy ones and the good hair standing up on the back of your neck ones too. So thins weekend we went to check out the latest installment of the J Horror films, Dark Water. It was really very good. No blood and guts but good suspense and excellent film making for the feel!

I got me thinking about having a horror movie review once we get into our new place. Perhaps like the first or second weekend of October having a three movie showing of some of our favorites for a select group of film fan friends. Complete with gory foods and all.

Score

I just won these on an ebay auction for about $5.00 with shipping. They are embrodiered cotton vintage cocktail napkins (5) and wine glass coaster/stem skirts (6). I can't wait to use them this Christmas! I love how dainty and prissy they are, they will look great with the holly dinnerware I have. I just love hollies!

Now I've taken an interest in the Lefton Green Holly cermics, they are cute and I've decided they would intergratewell into my holiday collection. Maybe I'll start to collect it one piece at a time.
Here's a link to the Replacements Ltd page with pics of the different pieces
www.replacements.com/webquote/lefgrh.htm?s1=ink&15070&

My progress this weekend...

Make a top with the orange knit fabric
I got it cut out and about 75% finished, I just need to finish the trim around the neck and then I'll be done!
Make a beach cover up with the pink knit fabric
I can't decide on a style for it yet, so I'm sketching up some ideas this week and will tackle this one when I return from Seattle.
Make a top with the brown silk
Finished! I'll post it as soon as I get a chance to take a pic.
Make a skirt from the brown striped fabric to go with the orange knit top
Finished this one on Friday after work. Worn it out for drinks at Poe's Tavern got some great compliments on it from our server!
Make a skirt from the blue cotton rip stop
None
Make a khaki skirt from chuck's old shorts
Trying to figure out how best to work this one out. I'll have to shorten the pocket linings since they are soooo long.
Make blue purse for blue purse swap
Just about finished, I don't want to post too many details on this one since I don't want to spoil the surprise for my partner.
Make purse for knit/sew swap
I need about 1/2 a yard more of some of the trim to finish!
Make a new brow eyelet wrap skirt
None
Make an apron from cake fabric
Got my pattern worked out and made up. Putting this one on hold until after my swaps are finished.
Make an apron from cocktail fabric
same as cake apron.
Make a camera case for digital camera
Pattern drafted and I'm cutting this one out tonight to finish it so my camera can safely go to Seattle with me.
Finish drink bag by adding handle
Done, pics soon
Make Keeta's shopping cart seat cover
Post Seattle project
Make Carrie's gift shopping cart seat cover
Post Seattle project
Finish brown stripe shirt
Trying to finish this one up for Seattle as well, it's cut out and begging to be sewn up this week
Patch Chuck's shorts
Done, those shorts are so tread barren that this may be the last possible patching I can do!
Make a purse out of the green placemat
Trying to figure out the best handle for this guy, it may take some serious thought...
Finish pillowcase skirt
Requires something, a great trim perhaps...hmmm maybe I'll find something great in a shop in Seattle
Finish green paisley skirt
Whoa this is too big and will have to be taken in perhaps with a pair of darts in the back. I didn't use a pattern on this one.
Make shirt from green stripy fabric
Waiting to see if how the pattern for the orange top comes out, I may use the same pattern
Make tan eyelet wrap top
Drew is the dimensions for the pattern I'll draft the pattern when I get back
Make a backpack style purse
Searched on line to find just the right shape and working on the interior ideas, I love my current bag but with no interior pockets it's very frustrating when all the things I need fall to the bottom and I have to dig for everything all the time. ebag.com Has some great interior shots of bags so I'm using those as inspiration for how I want to do the inside of my bag.

So all in all I got 4 projects done and will finish up two more tonight, so I consider this weekend a success. I really consider it a success since I also got my craft area all cleaned up and all my fabric re organized and I realized man I forgot I had this fabric, and what was I planning on doing with it! I'm making up a swatch pad so I can remind myself of the fabric I have so I can be motivated to finish and have it on hand when shopping for thread, and other trims/notions. A big store I found was this great pile of sheer prints I had for making more scarf bags like Nicole's bag. One of them was a black with cherry print that will make a fun bag for summer nights! I hope to have 3 more, other then the ones I'm wrapping up tonight, done before I leave Saturday.

Need a skirt?

I have a friend that asked me to make her a skirt like one I had already made. It is made from a light weight dark brown cotton eyelite. It ties at the left hand side. I lined the back panel for modesty but the two side panels are unlined since they over lap and the lining was not needed. It is unhemmed currently since I was going to hem it to her desired length. She then flaked and does not want it now that it is finished and so here I am with a skirt that is slightly too small for me and no $ for my hard work. So I present it to you in blog land...if anyone would like to trade me for something they have made in return for this item leave me a comment. I'll hem it for you to the length you want or you can do it yourself.
Photo:

Demensions:
11 inches across the top, wrapped
34 inches across the top, unwrapped
25 inches long, unhemmed
It's really cute and I love my version of this but I don't need two and as I said it's too small for me anyways.

A few recent sewing projects...

I sewed up this tank for the fourth of July using Simplicity It's So Easy pattern # 4676 and added a tie at the bodice to make it more fitted and I also lengthened it for my long torsal and added a detail of the same fabric to the neck line. It's a great soft rayon that is so soft and light.


This skirt I made also for the forth of July using New Look pattern #6843 View D. It has a zipper in the back and two darts in the back. I skipped the front and one set of darts in the back for that more low rise look and a flat front. It's a stiff, really dark denim. I like the wrinkly look to it but it can be ironed for a more tailored look. It's part of my anti shorts, yeah skirts summer.


My second skirt I sewed up tonight using no pattern and winging it. It took me about twenty minutes. It has a slight A line to it and a grosgrain ribbon drawstring. The fabric is a fun stretchy material that has three of my four favorite colors in it. Blue, Brown, and Rusty Orange. I have the perfect rust orange knit fabric I'm going to use to make a matching top from and It'll make a cute outfit for that Seattle conference. I have enough of this fabric leftover to make a light jacket out of if I have time. It was only $1.00 a yard so I think a jacket and skirt for $2.50 is a steal!

Close up of the fabric

OK so many WIP so little time...

I just sat down and listed out the sewing/craft projects I have in progress right now and the list is 23 items long! These are things that need repair, finishing, or are already cut out awaiting time to sew them! I'm going to be doing some major sewing this weekend! Too hot here to do much outside anyways and it looks like we may be getting some rain this weekend from the hurricane too. I'll also be getting the guest room semi presentable for Mikey since he's coming down next weekend week to pick up the Ranger. I leave on Saturday next weekend for a conference in Seattle and will hopefully get to see Vera and Carey since Portland is not too far them there. So I would like to have some of these tops finished to take with me. I'm also going to take some pictures of the items I've sewn so far so I can share them here.

Any ways here is my list of projects to attempt to tackle:
Make a top with the orange knit fabric
Make a beach cover up with the pink knit fabric
Make a top with the brown silk
Make a skirt from the brown striped fabric to go with the orange knit top (Done see above)
Make a skirt from the blue cotton rip stop
Make a khaki skirt from chuck's old shorts.
Make blue purse for blue purse swap
Make purse for knit/sew swap
Make a new brow eyelet wrap skirt
Make an apron from cake fabric
Make an apron from cocktail fabric
Make a camera case for digital camera
Finish drink bag by adding handle
Make Keeta's shopping cart seat cover
Make Carrie's gift shopping cart seat cover
Finish brown stripe shirt
Patch Chuck's shorts
Make a purse out of the green placemat
Finish pillowcase skirt
Finish green paisley skirt
Make shirt from green stripy fabric
Make tan eyelet wrap top
Make a backpack style purse

Whew that's a long list! My goal is to get at least 5 done this weekend.

Five things you may not know about me

I've decided that I would make this subject a monthly installment to my Blog. So here are five things that you may not know about me.

1-I don't like peas, I mean I hate them. I know hate is a strong word but they are yucky!
2-I think that peanut butter and chocolate are awesome separate but together they are gross!
3-The sound of change jingling is a pocket stocks me in my tracks since it reminds me of my grandfather who always jingled is pocket change and pill box as a habit. I makes me smile since I take it as a sign he's still watching out for me.
4-I love to watch mountains not move for hours on end!
5-I'm a sucker for Muscadine grape wine, the smell of it reminds me of my great grandfather.

More on our new place...

Here's a pic of our new place taking form, concrete forms to be exact!

Also apparently they can't decide on a street name! So once again it has changed to...


If the rain will hold out for a while perhaps they'll finally get the concrete poured by the end of next week.

We sold the Ranger, don't worry Chuck won't cry. We sold it to Mikey so he'll still be able to visit it and drive it on occasion. We wanted it after his jeep, Grandpa, caught on fire Friday! Good to know it'll be staying in the family!