Sewing is a lot like life...sure, there are patterns for just about everything, but in order to love what you do, or love what you make, you have to change the pattern to make it your own regardless if the change is a fraction of an inch or the length of a yard. And more often that not, those choices you make to change the pattern do not work out exactly the way you hope. It can be frustrating and challenging, and sometimes you have have to rip it all apart at the seams and start completely over. Which requires patience. A lot of patience. But in doing so, you create something that is far more rewarding, and far more beautiful, then what you started with.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Fun little gifts

I love making fun little gifts and these quilted coasters are no exception.  Another tried and true, I've blogged about them before here.   They make a great housewarming or hostess gift.  I made these just recently as a housewarming gift for a friend moving to Tulsa: 




I love the black and bright pink!


At Christmas time, I slipped a few sets like the ones above into some bags of baked holiday treats I delivery to friends and they were a hit!   So fun for a play room, a sun room or even a craft room! 



Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Tuesday Treasury #23

Just because I have pledged to use the fabric I have before buying even a fat quarter of anything new,
doesn't mean I cannot look!! 

Here are a few of my current faves!  Click the treasury link about to see all my picks! 

Original Chevron
by KatherineCodega


Amy Butler Twilight Peony
by chitchatdesignsllc


Monday, April 30, 2012

My Go-To Gift

I am finding a few minutes here and there to sew again and it feels good.  And because everyone I know seems to be having babies, I have started to run low on my stash of baby blankets, my go to gift for the newborns in my life!      So I whipped up a few recently, and here they are: 


This is similar to one I have made before, I just love the pirate print!  


This one has already been gifted, it is just awaiting the arrival of a sweet baby girl in August!

I love the blues and greens, along with the giraffes. 


As I start to sew again, I have challenged myself to only use the stash of fabric that I have on hand....surely three large storage bins are enough to get me started again.  :)  So no buying fabric for me for a while....but that hasn't stopped me from drooling over it online!  Stop back by tomorrow for Tuesday Treasury #23 to see my most recent favorite fabrics finds on Etsy! 


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Words on Wednesday #14


I know, right?! I don't know why I keep thinking I have more time. We only live once.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Tuesday Treasury #22




Zebra Pinata
by The Pinata House



Forest Garden Gnome
by Birchangel Pinatas




Monkey Pinata
by Pleasantly Pinantas






Monday, April 16, 2012

Hello Monday #2

Linking up with Lisa for Hello Monday



Hello Blue Eyes. I can't believe you are 6 months old.



Hello my loves. Mama loves you.


Hello water balloons. We had a great time this weekend.





Hello pageboy cap. The best $2 I have ever spent at Target.


Hello hands of my kid that loves to draw.





Hello eating popsicles in his underwear. He will hate me later for this.


Hello fresh pico. Delicious!



Hello swings. I love swinging them at the same time.



Happy Monday!





Sunday, April 15, 2012

Back in the Saddle! (a new finish)

Boy does it feel good to finally have another finish...and what a super fun one it is! This weekend I was able to steal away for a few hours to finish some projects that had been cut and laying in my "needs finishing" basket for oh....I don't know....a year maybe? Okay, for well over a year.





And this poor little apron was one of those projects. While it is not a new project for me (I've made them here and here), they are a great project to get back in the groove on becaues they are relativly straight forward and simple. For this one, my mother asked me probably 18 months ago to make a cute little apron for a close family friend's sweet little girl and all I can say is thank goodness she only nearly a year old at the time because fortunately I've made it just in time for her to be able to actually wear it!

I have a few more projects I am putting the finishes touches on this week and I can't wait to share them as soon as they are wrapped up. Happy Monday!

linking up at Made by you Monday


Round 2




Making baby food the second time around was MUCH easier than the first. I ended up purchasing an inexpensive food steamer and chose to use my hand held emulsion blender, which seemed to cut both the time and the clean up in half.



And now that I at least have an idea as to what I am doing, I found myself enjoying making it. I enjoyed being in the kitchen late on a Sunday afternoon, listening to my music, sipping on a diet coke, stopping to play with Z in between batches that were in the steamer. Time, most definitely, well spent.



Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Words on Wednesday #13

This is speaking to me this week....


Though my struggle is not doing something I have never done...
I am more than willing to do something different if that is what it takes to achieve what I want.
But rather, do I really want something different in the first place?



Monday, April 9, 2012

Hello Monday #1


I've been having so much fun editing my pictures with Instagram, so
I am trying something new today by
linking up with Lisa Leonard's Hello Monday Series!

Hello, my loves.





Hello, 1st Easter and his 1st Egg!




Hello, my SweetE baby who turns 6 months tomorrow!



Hello, 1st bath together for the brothers!


Hello, E bunny!



Hello, old school ice cream truck that cruised our neighborhood this weekend!


Hello, soaking up the sunshine!

What a nice way to start the week!


Thursday, April 5, 2012

Stop to Snap the Buffalo



Only in TX can you drive by a pasture of buffalo

in the middle of the city in between office buildings.





We drive by these every morning and this big guy

was finally close enough for us to take a picture.

Thanks Big Guy, you made Z's morning.

And mine too.


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Words on Wednesday #12




Just what I needed to hear today.





Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Tuesday Treasury #21



Check out the entire Etsy treasury by clicking the link above!
Happy Shopping!