something for me!

for those who know me.  i can be kinda weird with my fashion.  i don't like when people touch my hair (its the dang curls getting frizzy), my jeans have to cover my socks when i sit, i don't like my jeans skin tight, i cant stand turtle necks or high necks, i cant mix blacks/grays with browns/tans, and black and navy reminds me of ffa so i don't do that one either.  the hardest one for me though is having my sleeves hit my knuckles.  really i have to have my sleeves that long.  maybe its cause i have cold hands.  and boy was i a happy camper when i found out about thumb holes in shirts and coats!!!  

i had been looking for a casual cardigan that i could wear with t-shirts that would still be warm enough for me.  (did i mention that i am always cold)  i wasn't having any luck til i ran across this pattern from mouse house creations it was just what i was looking for!  so i ordered it, printed and ran with it.  i did the double hem for the collar, but so that it wasn't so big and bulky with all that warm fleece i used a knit on the inside.  you can see on the collar it is just a tad darker.  

for the sleeves, i made them just a bit longer and tapered them a bit more than the pattern (though it does say to do so if you want)  i ended up cutting out the cuffs for sleeves 3 times.  i had to get the right size and get the thumb hole just right!  i am SO happy with how my cardigan turned out.  I love it.  the sleeves are long enough, i made thumb holes and its warm. 

christmas chef set

for my siblings kids and ours, we draw names for christmas. this year i got my brothers little girl.  when i asked what i could get 'e' for christmas, her mommy said that e was getting a kitchen.  and maybe i could make her an apron.  but i couldn't stop with just an apron.  i had to make pot holders and oven mitts too!  this was a fun gift to make and pretty quick.  

'e's appron,  i did a velcro neck so that it was somewhat adjustable as she grows.  and she can use it to help mommy & dad in the kitchen.  

the oven mitts.  these were the most work, but the funnest!  i had found a template online and when i was trying to hem the cuffs, 't' could barely get her little hand in there.  so i had to make more quilted fabric (these were supposed to be the same as the pot holders) and modify the template i had found.  i also changed how i did the binding since these are pretty little and hard to work on with a big sewing machine.  but i am really happy with how they turned out.  

and the pot holders.  i had fun making this set.  maybe 't' needs one...

color quiet book

sorry for the photo overload, but this is just too cute to NOT share a picture of every page. 

t & two of my nieces were all born in the same year.  for some reason that makes me think that everything i do for one, i need to do for the other two.  i made each of them a doll.  and this year for their birthday's its going to be a dolly diaper bag & supplies & this color book.   

this is the cover.  

and the back. 

i loved making these for the girls.  i did have some pictures/patterns to follow, but for quite a few of the pages i ended up coming up with my own idea.  t loved playing with the ribbons & buttons on the pages.  

christmas 3 of???

way back when (i think pry 2002) i decided to make a quilt for my nephew & niece.  i wanted them to each have something that they can say 'aunt kelly made that for me'   she got a cute ladybug & flower quilt, he got a farm themed quilt to remind him of grandma & grandpa's place.  as i got more nephews they each eventually got a quilt for christmas.  there has been a husker 'n' quilt, construction quilt, sports quilt, and a railroad quilt.  last year it was a fun circle quilt for my niece. 

this is c-dub's quilt.  number 8 of 11-so far. 

#3 and final post of quiet book

last pages of the quiet book... 

i can remember buttoning items onto our quiet books when i was younger.  and what could be more fun than matching a fabric gumball to the button?

puzzles.  i think this was the 2nd page (well set) that i made.  there are 3 different puzzles to complete-flower, butterfly and heart.  each has their own pocket to be tucked into when not in use. i got the idea for the gumball and puzzle pages from 

http://craftychiclyric.blogspot.com/2009/07/girls-quiet-book.html 

zip, buckle and snap... all kids want to learn how to do 'big' things themselves.  

and then the cover.  i did this last cause i wanted to make sure that i made it big enough.  while had an idea of how big it needed to be, i wasnt sure how thick the pages would be laying on top of each other.  and that was the measurement i was concerned about.  i added about 2" to the final addition of the height & length (times 2) so there would be a bit of cover overhang. Then  i had to find the middle of the cover and the ribbon i used for the binding so that they could be sewn together and turned right side out.  

you can kind of see how i sewed the ribbon down leaving a channel for the binder ring to go thru.  then i put a ribbon all around the outside of the cover with magnets in the ends to close the book.  with the cover all done, it was time to loop the pages onto the binder rings and then thru the book binding.  

hope you enjoy your quiet book t!

quiet book part 2 of 4 (maybe 5)

next 4 pages 

so i go the lace & tie my shoes patterns from a great blog http://www.threadridinghood.com/wordpress/sew-along/

the hard part was finding shoe lace.  these are still a bit big, but it was the best i could do.  

the pie page looked too cute to not do.  and while i know i have never done a lattice weave pie crust, i had fun weaving this pie crust. 

pattern found here  http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/cutting-corners/2014/01/17/cherry-pie/

this one, i used inspiration from my sisters quiet book.  i remember moving those beads up and down as a child.  p arranged the flower beads for me before i put them on the ribbon.  

every girl needs to know how to braid.  at least in my family.  point in case, i taught my niece how to french braid while they were here for a weekend stay this summer.  keep practicing k!

one of my longest... post 1 of 4

so here is what has been consuming ALL my time.... a while ago a friend noticed that i had been pinning quiet book ideas.  the plan was to make one for t for her bday (which never got done by the way) so c asked if i was making or just thinking... i said if you can wait (cause i had other orders that needed to get done 1st at the time) that i would make one for her youngest. (SO sorry c that it took so long... i promise i worked on it all that i could and as fast as i could) it was fun finding ideas on pinterest and etsy.  even making my own patterns for some of the pages.  

here are the 1st four pages.  

what little girl wouldn't love to be able to spell her name and learn to recognize the letters 

in her name?  

so the bee with all the yellow cording behind him has to go thru all the numbers correctly 

to get to his hive.

  

the color of the rainbow with a few ribbons. 

she can learn the shapes name along with the shape.

 i made a pocket for the pieces to go into, BUT remembering from my youth and quiet books, pieces can get lost... so i decided that i would attach most of the piece to the page.  its hard to keep track of things when you are little (heck its still hard some days) 

stay tuned for more but i didn't want this to be a HUGE post.  

baby for my niece

i finished this project a while ago (almost a month, but i have been SUPER busy-more on that next time) i had made this doll for t's 1st birthday.  and is was fast approaching h's 1st birthday.  i think the hardest part on this doll was getting the right blue for her eyes.  those are some pretty piercing blue eyes.  and i got the dress along with the skirt made for her baby.  (which i am told they named penny)  enjoy your baby my little h!

its done!!!! (well kind of)

we are FINALLY done with the basement (90% anyway-need to finish plumbing) and this is the craft room.  i LOVE all the counter space and drawers!  i am still in the process of getting stuff put away.  needing a big shelf to go in the corner for all my big totes.  its been fun putting stuff away knowing that this is finally 'home' for my craft supplies.  then i'll do some decorating on the walls (have to have a chalk board to messages and to do's) and stain and finish my cool antique door!

love/hate skirt

i love it cause it's fun & easy to wear, but man was it a pain in the butt to sew!  now i remember why i dont like working with stripes. but it done so i say bring on summer!!!  now to work on some cute skirts for the girls. 

thanks to all who stopped out at the huphrey show a few weeks ago. it was nice to see so many friends & be close to home.  next show will be in newman grove during shell creek valley days.  after that it's camping til fall shows start!