Easter Egg Package

Package for Grandparent's

I laid awake last night thinking about what we could mail to my girls grandparents for Easter that live a few states away. Of course it had to be thrifty and light weight. So as a substitute for a basket, I made these Easter Egg Pouches to be filled with candy and art work from the little ones. And of course I had to make them for the other grandparents too! Quick and easy-I use that phrase a lot. I just hope that the Grandma's don't see my blog until Easter!
Here's How:
First trace an egg onto paper for your pattern. I just make this pattern up, nothing fancy.
Then cut that pattern out onto felt fabric. Cut two layers.
With the top layer only, cut slashes into the center of the egg to appear like a broken egg.
Now decorate your top layer any way you want to. On this one I used ribbon. I simply sewed it on.
After you have decorated the egg, sew the top and bottom layers together. This is a fun project to try out your machines decorative stitches. I also thought it would be really cute to blanket stitch around, but that would have taken longer than nap time allowed.
And there is my finished egg ready to be stuffed with goodies and sent in the mail.
Here is the egg pouches for the Grandparents close by. This one was made using the freezer paper stenciling method. It is so much fun!
This one was made by simply sewing strips of fabric onto the egg.
If I had older kids, I couldn't help but think how fun it would be to see what they could create and come up with to decorate the egg. Also making it into a bag with handles is another idea. Oh the fun you can have with felt!

Here is how we stuffed them.
There were rice crispy treats shaped into eggs with Easter colored m&m's.
Happy Easter!

T-Time

While I'm anxiously waiting for my craft/sewing room to be finished, I've been making T-shirts.
I just love looking at all the blog ideas out there for sprucing up a basic T-shirt. I thought I would try my hand at some Easter/Spring shirts for my girls. I grabbed the cheapest pack of 5 I could find at Wal-Mart, 2T/3T (A little too big for the little one, and a little too small for the big one. Oh well). This is what I came up with-quick, fun, and easy!
This one is using fabric. If you want a really good applique tutorial, check this website.
Here is one with fabric appliques and freezer paper stenciling. Here is a good website that shows you how to do stenciling. Though the instructions are on a pillow, it's the same principle. It's how I learned.
You can get online to search any picture or font you want to use for your stenciling. She loves her shirt, can't you tell.
This next one is possibly my favorite.
I used a flower paper punch for the flowers. Way easy!
This pink one was kind of a reverse technique I wanted to try out. Not sure if I'll ever do it again.
I ironed on the flowers then spray painted the shirt. After I washed it, it was wearable.
Here is big sister trying to teach little sister how to pose for pictures.
Not sure if she is getting it.
Here is my favorite website of spruced up Tee's. She sure is talented.

Hobo Bag

Here are some pictures of a Hobo style bag my sister requested I make for her. Of course I had to make one for myself too. We really enjoy the bag. I got tired of packing a huge diaper bag around which I really didn't need now that my baby is 1 1/2. This is big enough for basic mommy supplies, and also fits my sister's college student social needs. I'm mostly looking forward to the 5 hours of babysitting my sister owes me in return!
She wanted a replacement for this old bag of hers, but with more pockets and a longer handle. I used the shape of the bag to make my basic pattern.

The bag is equipped with internal and external pockets, and an inside zipper for hidden goods.



I wish that was my skinny body! But after 2 babies I had to use my sister as the model.
I thought about a tutorial, then I thought maybe I should set up an etsy account. But I suppose I would need to see some interest before I went bag making crazy. Anybody?

Baby Bib Tutorial

Last Minute Baby Shower Gift
I was informed of a neighbors baby shower on short notice. So I whipped these up, and though they are very simple, maybe a tutorial will come in handy for someone. I made several of these for my last baby. She spit up like crazy and drooled buckets each day. I would change a bib 5-10 times a day. My thoughts were, better a bib than the whole outfit.
Here's how:
Trace your favorite bib shape, or make one up. (If I knew how to make this pattern available to you on blogger, I would)
Cut out a front side and back side for 1 bib. I used flannel for both sides.
Put front and back piece right sides together. Sew leaving an opening for turning.
Clip your curves so it lays flat. Then turn inside out and press. Sew opening closed.
Sew on velcro.
Your finished!
What did I tell you-easy huh? Quick gift for a last minute request.

Thrifty Storage Solutions

Sneak Peak of my soon-to-be "Happy Place"

The construction/remodel of my craft/sewing room is soon to be finished. My husband and I recently won a biggest looser competition where we made some good mo-laa. My sweet husband agreed to help me construct my happy place. Here are some sneak peaks and some storage solutions I've come up with on a budget. I needed to be thrifty because we spent most the money on shelves and an almost finished cutting table. The completed room will be unveiled as soon as my student husband and sole provider finds time to finish what he started. I can't wait! It makes me happy just thinking about it.

Here is a thingy I found at the thrift store for 1 buck. I knew it had hidden beauty in there somewhere.
With a little paint, paper, and mod podge, she becomes this . . .
And now it serves as the perfect storage for all my pressing supplies.
Anybody else have too many of these?
Make them into this . . .
Simply wrapped inside and out with paper.
I would have loved to have bought adorable little baskets for my shelves, but that would have broke our skinny bank. I have way too many wipe boxes, so I put them to use.
I found some paint-able wall paper at the paint store on clearance. I just wrapped the boxes in it and painted them.
Come back in a week! I'm hoping beyond hope that my happy place is up and running by then!

Tote Bag Tutorial

Here is a tutorial for a basic tote bag. My mother needed one to carry her binders and books for church on Sunday. She came to me with this cute little Toy Story bag (she got from who know's where) and said she needed a cute bag this size. I wonder why she didn't want to just use Buzz Light Year. But being the obedient child I've always been, I said "I'll give you a bag mother". So after she set some rules (nothing flashy, or teeny boppy), I went to work on my mama bag.
Here's how you do it:
Supplies:
1 Yard (though I had plenty left)

• Bag Fabric (something thick like home decor fabric or a twill)

• Liner Fabric (I used cotton)
• Fusible interfacing
  

1/4 Yard Contrasting Fabric
Matching threads
Needles suited for the job
Sewing machine, of course
I began by making my pattern. Of course it had to meet the size of the bag I was matching, but you can really make this any size. Mine was 13 1/2 by 14. However, I would make it longer if I were to do this again. This size fits a binder pretty good. Then you are going to cut your pattern out on the fold with your outer fabric piece, liner, and interfacing.
The contrasting fabric can be any size, but as you can see mine was cut 5 inches on the fold, or 10 inches by 14 inches.
Here is my cut pieces.
First you need to press the interfacing to the back side of the lining piece.
Press the edges on the contrasting fabric 1/4 inch.
Open up the folded piece of the outer bag material and pin the contrasting fabric to the bottom, matching centers.
Sew it on. Though I didn't mention before, I did sew on a pocket for my mama's keys, glasses, or whatever else she wants to put in there.
Then you will put right sides together and sew 1/4 inch. Press the seams. If you don't have a pressing tool like I have above, you need one. Great for sleeves and many other things.

Next is squaring off your corners. Not sure of the best way to explain this but I hope the pictures helps. Form a triangle at the corner edge, and mark with chalk roller or whatever you have. I marked about an inch from the tip, the farther you mark, the wider your bag will be. Do this for both sides.
Now sew on that line. Clip excess fabric and press.
Here's what your corners will look like.
I wanted the bag squared off good, so I sewed from corner to corner, like shewn above. Do this on the wrong sides.
You now need to repeat these steps with the liner fabric also.
Now you need to make your handles, any length you choose. Mine were 22 inches long and 2 inches wide, I believe. Cut with a lining and an outer fabric. Interfacing is also pressed onto the cotton fabric to give the handles more stability.
Sew them together, leaving both ends open. Though I think I did close an end above, that isn't necessary. Turn them right side out (I love my fabric tube turner) and press.
Though there isn't any pictures for this next step (oops) you need to press the tops of the liner and outer fabric 1/4 inch to the wrong sides.
Then carefully place your liner fabric inside the bag. Pin together matching seams.
Pin the handles in place, where you want them.
Carefully sew along the top. Press.
And you are finished.
My mama loves her new bag, at least that is what she tells me!