Can't Hardly Wait =)

I usually try to be strong and resist buying purse/tote patterns. Mainly because I have about a trillion bags I have made for myself and don't NEED any new bags, and for the most part I just make up my own designs as I go along.
But a little while ago I saw this bag design on Anna Maria Horner's blog and fell in love:

I love how the handles are encased on the sides and then the casing gathers..think that looks really cool! But, lucky for me the pattern was still in printing and not available...whew...close call.
Weeks passed...then today she blogged that the pattern is now available and in a moment of weakness....I bought it! Now I am so excited to make it! Can't hardly wait for the pattern to arrive!

Check it Out!

I received my Arrested Development Swap package yesterday from my partner Barbolot and I scored BIG TIME!!
First some awesome grocery totes:

Check out the pockets! First the one inspired by Lindsey's Hot Ham Water

And this one inspired by the notion that Lucille thought a banana would cost $10

Then an adorable seal pin cushion, this is the seal that bit off Buster's hand. =(

Then check this out! 2 pillowcases of my fave 2 characters Buster and Michael..

How cool are those stencils??? And I love the embroidered sayings..."hey brother" and "family first".
This was such a fun swap and I just love everything I received!

Mystery Bag Sew-Along

I realized that I hadn't posted my finished bag for the Mystery Bag Sew-Along that I participated in on Lola's Blog. SO without further a do...

Oh yeah....forgot to mention that I changed the fabrics I chose to use. I had forgotten I bought this fabric to make a bag, I saw this same fabric as a VERY simple tote bag in a boutique for $34 bucks! =) I am really pleased with it and had a lot of fun doing the sew-along.
The mystery aspect was great, I was really looking forward to the last day so I could see how it would all come together. I had never done a sew-along before, but if you ever come across one, I say DO IT! =)

Swappin' Big Time

Well, the Chunky Houses Swap on Craftster is winding down, and I have received all of my lovely houses. Here is a picture of my new neighborhood:

I think they look gorgeous together and have been keeping them on the mantle for everyone to see. They are getting ready to do another round on Craftster so if anybody out there is interested, I say go for it!
My husband and I are HUGE fans of the show "Arrested Development" and miss it greatly...although we do quite often watch the 3 short seasons of it's life on DVD.
I knew I had to participate in the Arrested Development Swap on Craftster and I had so much fun making these goodies for my partner barbolot. If you are a fan of the show you will probably like all of these things, but if your aren't you might say, "what the?" HAHA =)
First off, we both love the character Buster, so I made her a Buster Bag which was inspired by the episode titled "Beef Consomme" in which he wears a blue sweater and gray pants to his father's trial.

This is the scene in the show that inspired the bag.

MICHAEL: All right, I'll be sure to tell Buster. All right. Bye. (hangs up) Mom wanted me to tell you that she doesn't care whether you live or die, but if you're not dead she would like to see you at the courthouse tomorrow in the blue sweater.

BUSTER: Damn it! I hate the blue sweater.

MICHAEL: She said it would look nice with the gray pants.

BUSTER: Damn it! She's right.

Of course I had to add some sort of flowery thing to it, so I made a felt flower and a little Buster button for the center of it.

The Bluth family owns a Frozen Banana Stand business so I made her a Banana Stand apron:

close up of Mr. Banana:

And last but not least, barbolot's favorite episode is "Bringing up Buster" in which a bird gets into Buster's condo and walks across his pillow...he is thrilled with that of course...so I made her a little bird zippered pouch and filled it with candy.

The bird is made from a pattern I bought from Betz White and it is so cute in person!!
I just sent the package yesterday, so I really hope she likes everything. =)
Have a great weekend, my baby boy turns 8 tomorrow, 8 is GREAT!! So we will be having some fun this weekend, hope you do too! XO

Night Owls and Nani Cats

I was feeling the need to make a new stuffie, so I thought why not an owl?? I love all the owls and birds you see everywhere right now in fabrics, paper crafting, clothes, jewelry, etc. I read or heard somewhere that in the crafting world, "birds are the new cupcakes"...and that is just fine with me, although I am and will always be a cupcake fan! =)
So I drew out a pattern, then enlarged it a little and tried to keep it simple, for quick and easy sewing. I dug out all my safety eyes, and fabric and wool felt scraps and "Voila!" some little Night Owl pillows were born!

Now of course, while trying to photo them our cat Nani Cats had to get right in the middle of it. She's very nosey...I love this picture, she's perfectly in between the owls!

Here, she is trying to intimidate me to give her some treats in return for the successful photo shoot.

I'm a push over and she knows this...

One Lucky Irish Girl

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you! Hope the luck of the Irish is with you today. I sure feel LUCKY in life!

I made this necklace for myself with supplies from Mike's, the line is called Fresh, and I love all of it. You can see it HERE.
So enjoy your day, eat some corned beef, drink a green beer and feel LUCKY! xoxo

Diaper Bag #723

Okay...not really but it does seem like I make a lot of diaper bags! =) I really like this one, I think the fabric combo is so nice.

I don't personally know the Mommie that will be receiving this bag...so I hope the combo will be to her liking. She's had a boy so I wanted something in boyish colors, but still somewhat feminine.

Well then, as a nice change of pace from diaper bags, I have decided to participate in a Mystery Purse Sew Along. It has just started so if anyone out there would like to do it to, it's not too late! Here is an older link to the Sew Along that lists all the needed notions etc. CLICK ME . And here is a link to the first set of directions she just posted: CLICK ME. Each day she will add the next step to her blog. FUN! Lola is a great seamstress/bag maker so I know it will be a huge success!
After much internal debate I have chosen these 2 fabrics for the Sew Along...I think they are beautiful and would make a lovely spring bag.

I'll make sure I post a picture of the bag when I am done!

Yummy in my Tummy

I spent yesterday afternoon being very domestic.
First, I baked some delicious, big chocolate chip (with pecans added) cookies using the recipe found HERE. This is the best recipe I have found for making really big cookies =)

Then I made some adorable gift tags with the Yummy stamp set from Stampin' Up and some polka dot paper and ribbon from Mike's.

Then I bagged up those cookies....

And shared them with friends....Yummy for your tummy =)

Liddle Lamzy Divey

Well, what a shock, I have entered another challenge on Craftster...this time the "Craft a Favorite Song" challenge. You can check out all the entries HERE and they are awesome!
For my song I chose, "Mairzy Doats" which is a song from the 1940's that my Grammie would sing to us when we were little and we loved it. The song is a play on nonsense words, but when sung even by little ones it sounds like something else. My favorite part of the song was about the liddle lamzy divey, or "little lambs eat ivy" I always imagined a little lamb frolicking and eating ivy.

So I created a very little lamb locket in honor of my Grammie and how special she has always made me feel

Here are the lyrics, composed in 1943 by Milton Drake:
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
If the words sound queer and funny to your ear, a little bit jumbled and jivey,
Sing "Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy."

You can hear it HERE

Here are some details and photos:
I have a couple of of silver 2 1/2 inch pocket watch cases that I bought at a sale and decided to use one as a locket/box frame for my Liddle Lamzy. First I printed the lyrics and used that as my base for inside the case. Then I used watercolor pencils to draw a meadow. I used some old decorator sample books for the fabric for the lamb, they had the perfect texture. Cut out my lamb shapes and the ears and glued everything down. I put a small bead under her face to give it dimension. I painted details to her face. Then I did my shading and added micro beads and a flower bead around her neck. I had a pipe cleaner that was just the right color to frame Lamzy.

I think the voting takes place March 6 through March 12, of course Lamzy would love your vote, I would be forever grateful =) Have a great day XO