Some unposted photos :D

It's been a hectic few weeks but this is the home stretch - I hope we're all ready! I took some pictures tonight of some projects that were finished over the last few weeks - these are projects that will go to Blue Hills:

Flanel bibs to use up the last of this cat flannel

Zipper and measuring tape "snap happy" type bags, using up scraps and remants ...

Snowman pillowcase and a measuring tape bag

Here are several projects that will go in the gift box for future gifting (or which will go to Blue Hills later on):

Handled boxy bag

Christmas zipper bags

Cherry zipper bags (the cherry fabric was a remnant from Joanns)

Shark zipper bags

Drawstring bags - there's a free tutorial @ In Color Order (but these were made from the purchased version of the pattern)

Cute zipper pouch for a kiddo :)

Now I'm off to make some desserts for tomorrow night - we're visiting friends and I'm in charge of dessert :D  If I don't post again for a few days, I hope everyone has a happy and safe Christmas - enjoy yourselves, and don't go crazy trying to get everything done, or trying to make everything perfect!  I didn't get to some projects, and some things didn't work out as planned, but I did what I could, and now it's time to relax and spend some time with my husband and sons!

Mystery project :D

Today I started a Christmas present - it's bigger and more detailed than what I've done in a while.  There are 15 pattern pieces, plus some pieces cut by measurement - and I'm tracing each piece onto tissue paper (most are too big to photocopy) to preserve the original pattern :D  The project is an Oliver & S project - I hope it turns out well ... especially now that I've posted about it!  Tonight I drafted, cut out and assembled the first 4 pattern pieces.  I still have quite a way to go, lol, but so far so good!  :D

I also finished this little cutie (a Christmas gift, and being posted to the Happy Little Pouch Hop) and baked 4 1/2 dozen cookies for DS2 to take to work to share with his crew :)

Measuring tape upcycle ... and BAH Humbug :D

Measuring tape snappy bags - tutorial here :)

Another measuring tape snappy bag :)

The last of that batch of measuring tape bags :D

A humbug/triangle bag - fabric cut to 6.5" x 6.5" - next time I'll cut to 6.5" x 7.5" and stitch the zipper onto the 7.5" side :D  No raw edges inside :)

Quicky zipper bag to finish off some cute Christmas scraps :)

EEEK love this one!  Loralie Christmas doggy block made into a little zippy - this is SERIOUSLY cute (iidssm!) :)

It's very handy having electricians in the house - I ask, and at least one of them will come home with a dead measuring tape for old mom to use in these measuring tape/snappy bags - thanks Nick! 

Easy Cinna-Minis :D

Recipe here :)

This post came up in my blog reader today - I popped over for a closer look, and then ran into my kitchen to make them, lol.  Quick, and very easy!  I haven't tasted them yet but I suspect the boys will have a lovely snack when they get home - don't they look great?!

Challenge completed - it's a DUMPLING!

Challenge extended and accepted here :D

I started my dumpling last night :)  I had a rough start - I made several dumb mistakes, and ended up having to froggy stitch the lining off of the bag and recut it, lol.  OOPS!

Basting the zipper to the curved bag, is quite tricky.  Getting both sides of the zipper pinned at exactly the right spot is pretty important to getting good results.

Happily, once the zipper is basted to the outside, the rest of the process is fairly easy - on the larger bag, anyways, lol.  I wouldn't attempt the small one - for my fiddly hands it would be an exercise in frustration :D  I think I'll enlarge the pattern by 15% (and maybe 25%) for future bags - I think that would make the bags easier to complete :)

Use LOTS of pins at this step and the rest will be a breeze :)  I actually added half a dozen more pins after I took this picture, lol.

I added ribbon tabs to make the bag easier to open :)

Close-up of the placement of the tabs :)

OOoooOO what's this?  A ravioli??!!

No - it's a DUMPLING!!  YAY!!! 5" wide x 2" deep x 4" tall :)

Thanks Val for the kick in the pants to try this bag, and thanks to Michelle for the *free* dumpling pattern!  I'll be posting this to the Happy Little Pouch Hop as my latest completion :)
 

Rub me for good luck :)

I found out today that I won 2 blog giveaways - it's my lucky day!  I'm having a fantastic time in the Happy Little Pouch Swap (thanks to the delightful Emily and Elaine), and I won a prize for Week 1 --- a gorgeous zipper bag pattern donated by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson! -- isn't it cute?  Then I won a set of 6 Christmas notecards from a HandmadeMN giveaway --- the cards are designed by Lori Lee Sampson of Starglow Studio - thank you HandmadeMN and Lori - I'm looking forward to Chester coming to my house, lol!


I was downloading some photos tonight from the camera and while I was resizing/adjusting the colour, my fingers slipped on the keyboard and I learned something new, LOL.  Here are a few recent finishes - most of them are Christmas gifts!

In Color Order drawstring bags :)

Fall/pumpkin boxy handle bag and zipper bag - these bags were posted to the Happy Little Pouch Hop :)

Zipper pulls for the fall bags set

Close-up of one of the zipper pulls

Loralie pouch :)

Close-up of zipper pull :)

Sandra sewed - here are some recent finishes :)

Sewing kit lining - DS print from Joanns on clearance for $3/yard!  These bags measure 9"w x 4.5"t x 2.5" deep :)

Sewing kits (I made them as zipper bags) from a TartanKiwi tutorial - these are Christmas gifts :)

Floral boxy bag (a Christmas gift).  This bag measures 9.5"w x 3"t x 3.5" deep - the fabric is a patchwork of 3 3/4" squares (set 4x4, 3/8" seams) :)

Another angle for the boxy bag :D

Oliver + S bucket hats, size small (12-24 months) - Christmas gifts :)

Sometimes, we just need to smile :)

8 videos that will make you feel better about everything :)



If you play it here on Blogger (or in a reader) you'll see clips from each of the 8 vids, one after the other.  But if you click on the player and watch it on Youtube, you'll see the full version of each clip (about 3 minutes each), and you can pick which clip you want to see.  I started sobbing about 2 minutes in and still haven't stopped, lol!  This is a fantastic collection of feel good videos - I even sobbed during the American national anthem because of the basketball player that came to the young girl's aid [last video]!

(Should the video not play, the youtube link is here)

First Nadia bag :)

I'm participating in the Happy Little Pouch Hop for the next 2 weeks, so I got my butt in gear and tried a pattern I got a while ago - the Nadia bag, by IThinkSew.  I increased the size of the bag piece to 11" x 13" (instead of 10.5" X 12"), and constructed the handle a bit differently (one piece of fabric 3.5" x 8").  I would do the zipper install differently next time, and I zigzagged the seams inside instead of covering them with bias binding - the rest of the construction was pretty much as per the pattern.  It worked out quite well, IIDSSM!  A few more pics:

The completed 11" x 13" QAYG block

Close-up of the QAYG quilting

Completed bag

The Warm and Natural batting gives it just the right amount of body :)

"During construction" photos :D

During construction ...

Almost finished (this is the lining side).  Both fabrics are from Joanns :)

Here's a project I worked on yesterday (free tutorial here) - I haven't taken a picture of the finished item, but will soon.  I'm almost finished another one as well, in a different colour range :D  Actually I have quite a few little finishes downstairs but I haven't felt like getting the camera out and blogging! 

Sewing away in my dreary little dungeon studio :D

In this dreary grey weather, my sewing studio is dreary as well, since it's the room in the basement with no window :D  Work still manages to get done, though :)  Some of it can't be posted until after Christmas, but here are a few little finishes that won't ruin any surprises :D

Use-up-scraps tall zippered pouch :)

Christmas gift bag (In Color Order pattern)

Christmas bibs :)

Drawstring gift bag :)

Cute lil 'phib!

Lil 'phib :)

I finished this little guy today - he's a Christmas present :D  When I sent his picture to [relative of recipient] their response was ... "Cute lil 'phib!" -- LOL!!!  Sure put a smile on MY face!

The pattern is from fleecefun.com - they have a LOT of fun patterns there - and about a dozen fun hats, sized from baby to adult!  Pattern for Lil 'phib is here :D

RANT: "Sponsored posts" - GRRRR!

Rant #1:  earlier this week I unsubscribed from a crafty blog I had been following --- I'm not highly bothered by appropriately themed sponsored posts - cooking supply ads on cooking blogs, online quilt shop ads on quilty blogs, or even, blog-related giveaways provided by a sponsor.  The other day I stumbled upon a sponsored ad for TARGET. The store. On a personal craft blog. The sponsored post relayed a clothing shopping trip to the store. Power of the veto - exercised by using the unsubscribe button. 

Rant #2:  I've started unfollowing pinners who consistently repin without checking links - I'm tired of having to hunt and search for specific posts when people take the easy way out and just repin, instead of following the link to make sure it's a proper link instead of a keyword search on a blog, or the main page of a blog.  Today I came across a pin with a yummy photo of a cake - the pin read ... "Greatest cheesecake recipe in the world!". It lead to a picture on a (weird) site, with no information or clickable link to get to the recipe.  ARGHHHH!!

Now - just so you don't think I'm a total curmudgeon (yes, I think this post will ruffle a few feathers, lol) - here's some eye candy - g-nephew Shawn (2!) wearing the Oliver and S bucket hat I made him for his birthday :)  WHAT A DOLL!!!

ETA clarification:  I'm referring to blog posts where the blogger is PAID to recommend or mention products that have nothing to do with their blog - i.e. clothing shopping @ a specific store on a craft blog, car parts on a cooking blog - etc.etc. :D

Flexing my ... frames :)

Christmas sewing - YAY!!!

Small flex frame bags (4" x 6.5")

Jeni/In Color Order drawstring gift bag :)

Last finishes for October :D

2 sets of fabric airplanes - Christmas gifts

Jeni drawstring bags - 3 Everything bags and 1 Project bag (tutorial here, but I bought the pattern for the extra sizes)

5 large Christmas bags - the ones in front are upcycled from a thrift store tablecloth (NIP) :)

Christmas ladybug taggy, based on this tutorial

Try something new - stocking zippy inspired by a pattern I saw on Etsy - this is just a trial run to test out the sizing and stocking shape

Drawstring gift bag