Elodie the Elephant

For Christmas Santa brought me a new book- it's called "One Yard Wonders" and is filled with super fun projects that only take a yard of fabric or less.

Here is my first project- an elephant for my goddaughter Harper. So cute!

It's great to have crafty friends!

Oh. My. God.

You know there are times when you receive a gift that just fits so well that you are not sure you were really living until you had it! This hat is that gift.

Lucky. Lucky me. The mail came on Saturday and I had no idea that I could be so in love with a hat like I am with this one that Theresa made me. Check it out.

There might have been like 40 other pictures to choose from, since I just didn't think my photo skills could really capture the beauty of this hat.

*Swoon*

yes. I like purses.

So I went on a kick when I first bought my sewing machine last year and just started making bags... totes, clutches, patchwork slings... I went a little bag-nuts you could say.

This was one of the first ones- mostly I fell in love with the lemons on the fabric and then just starting cutting around them. This was also my first attempt at making pockets. It was tough work figuring out when to put the pocket on (before you sew the inside and outside together), how to attach the straps and then what to do with this bag after it was all made. I think if I were more of a "on the go" mom with library books to return this would suit me... doesn't really go well with my stupid corporate suits. bleh.


































This clutch I made to go with a navy dress I wore to a friend's wedding. Afterward I realized I probably looked a little like a Yankee-doodle girl, simply for the fact I was essentially wearing red, white and blue!
(Totally crooked seam on the bottom there, but meh- it was still in the first months of sewing experimentation... so it's all good, right?)


This bag was one of the ones where I saw the pattern on Craftster and fell in love with the idea. Spent time making the bag and have used it like 6 times. Still love to look at it though. It's pretty.







































I think that's enough bags for now.

tree for the hallway

Basic? Yup.
Lacking leaves since I don't know how to draw or paint them? Yup.
Good for the hallway leading to the bathroom? Double yup.

'cause I am scrappy like that....

So, in an effort to be thrifty and not make any impromptu trips to the fabric store... I have been finding little projects that use things I already have. I am trying really hard to follow the mantra that homemade gifts are just as good as store bought, and that people really do appreciate something you've put effort and thought into.

Scrappy project #1: I decided I needed some more coasters in my house. These are simply two pieces of fabric with a scrap of batting in the middle to give it a little more "umph." Then I did a very basic straight stitch around and around until it was all solidly together.


Project #2: The nieces wanted some more of those little flowers for their hair.

Project #3: Kimono wrap baby shoes. I am hoping to make more of these, since the pattern is SO EASY. Two pieces, a couple lines of straight stitching and you're done! Lots of scrap opportunity with these. I definitely think the next set (which, let's face it, the first time around is always a little bit of a struggle!), I will pay more attention to the direction the fabric is facing so the animals aren't upside down... this time I will just say that I did it so the animals were face up for the baby to look at. (sounds convincing, right?)

getting back on the horse

I was sad to see that the last post I had was in May! I definitely have been crafting, just not making anything I was particularly in love with.

Then came these two...


A little Jenny & a little Greg for the cake for their Spring wedding.