Tuesday, September 19, 2006

It's in the Bag


Finally finished my MIL's birthday present (her birthday was in June!) - did not quite turn out as I liked, but I hope she likes it. I have been working with fused materials for a while with my other bags, and this one was quilted, and the fabric does not have the same stiffness, so the bag is very slouchy. The photo shows it stuffed with a tablecloth, so perhaps when she fills it it will be better.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Making a Committment

OK - I have done it - the registration form is filled out, the envelope is addressed, the check is written - now I just need to stamp it and drop it in the mail -

"IT" is my committment to have a booth at the Spencerport Lions Club Craft Show on December 9th. I have a large selection of my silkscreened cards, and am working on some embellished boxes to hold them (idea from my tiara box), as well as some other holiday related odds and ends.

All this along with my other holiday projects - I must be crazy!!! At least I already have the card inventory - that saves a lot of work...

Thursday, September 07, 2006

2 Out of 3 Ain't Bad



So impatience got the better of me -I have been "production line" sewing 3 bags, and have finished 2 of the 3. I "was" going to wait and post all 3 photos at the same time -but I can't wait to share these.

The Mickey one is "almost" done - I just need to add some velcro to the outer pockets, and I have big white round buttons like the ones on Mickey's shorts to cover the velcro spots. Then I need a zipper pull - but I have not found the right Mickey charm yet.

The oriental blue one was officially pressed into service today. I added the zipper pull after this photo was taken - it is a silver rectangular charm with a laser cut out of a Japanese character that means peace. I added a lobster claw clasp and a few beads, and think it looks really nice.

Now to finish the third - it just lacks the zipper and the side seams. Perhaps tonight.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle


This was a project for a friend who was getting married. She needed some repair work (regluing of beads, cleaning, etc...) done on her tiara, which was in a plastic "blister pack." I decided after all the repair work that it needed a new home, and 2 evenings and lots of Mod-Podge later, this is the result.

The box was a recycled cookie box that originally came from Japan and was sent to my former employer and shared among my coworkers. I of course kept the empty box. It was then used as a shipping box back and forth between South Carolina and New York a few times for small items, and ended up in my closet holding pins, mysterious keys, and a few other odds and ends.

Add to it some paper from a stash I have had for about 8 years (reduce), and the leftover pearls and some other beads leftover from another project (reuse) - and viola. And now her friends all want boxes of their own...

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

It's All in the Timing...and mine was off


A friend was headed to Bar Harbor for a vacation - and I thought this tote would make a great travel bag for her - too bad I had my dates and months mixed up and she was actually ON the trip as I was planning and making the bag...oops! Kind of a let down when you plan what you think is the "perfect" surprise and the details don't work out the way you planned (someday I will tell the cross stitch story...)

I finished the bag anyway and gave it to her when she got back...and she loved it just the same. The disappointment was all in my head - and I know she will get great use out of it no matter where she goes!

(note -this was a Summer Tote pattern by Lazy Girl Designs - they are the best!!! -look for more "Summer" Tote photos coming soon - I am currently working on 3 more!)

Friday, September 01, 2006

It's in the Genes

After weeks of playing with his "poon" (spoon) my 18 month old finally made the connection between food, spoon and mouth - until now it had been stir the food in a bowl, or move it from one place to another on the tray, or put the empty spoon in his mouth - but never the full food-spoon-mouth connection...

That is until I gave him some Ice Cream! I guess you just need the proper motivation!