Monday, December 22, 2008

Tie Wrap Dress It can be done in ONE night


I did it. I realized at 10 pm Saturday night I didn't buy my girls Christmas dresses for Sunday morning. I hadn't had a chance to try out this pattern yet and It looked easy enough so I went for it. I think they turned out awesome. It took me till 5 am. But they didn't cost me anything I amazingly enough had everything on hand in the right colors (since I needed matching bias tape I was a little worried) But have no fear my love of shopping came through in the end. Tomorrow I am aiming for at least one dad's tie maybe two depending how the day goes.....

Saturday, December 20, 2008

I Won!!!

Yippee!! They just posted the winners and I won something. A month subscription to www.Diddybag.com It is a website that sales clip art. Then you can digitize it for embroidery. I think. I am sure I will figure it out soon. Right now I am just excited. I won!!!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Class gifts

Alright of course with all the gifts I've made I put off makeing the gifts for Kaylyns class till tonight. But I did it 27 santa bags made of felt and fur. Plus a big mess!!! I also made Kaylyn's teacher the cutest pen holder using a empty tin can and some Mary Englebright fabric I bought last year some time. Total cost for both projects 2.44 all of which was for the felt and fur. Amazing.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Pictures are coming!!

After massive searching today I have found the battery charger for my camera. Tomorrow I will take some new pics. After we visit Santa. I made three of Kimberbell Kids Dolls and 1 baby blanket., 4 coasters for my mother in law. And one blanket for Jonathon's Place down the road. Okay honestly the dolls aren't quite finished and I only have 2 coasters completely done. Right now I am in the middle of trying to find one arm and one leg to complete the last doll. But tomorrow I will have pictures. Alright night for now.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

SWAK Rules!!

Okay still trying to get some pics up. Went to take pictures last night and of course my camera was dead. Still trying to find my charger to charge it up. For anybody that does machine embroider you have got to check out SWAK embroidery.com. I am quickly become as addicted to it as I am to YCMT. Today my little girl brought me her plain white shirt and wanted something on it. (My little crafty children love to have mommy "fix" their shirts.) So I quickly loaded a design I had downloaded as a free bonus gift with my purchase last week and voila a shirt for my little princess.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Update

I know I haven't posted in a few days. Kaylyn had a cheer leading competition on Sunday. ALL DAY. Knowing I have a deadline I took my crochet for my cousins baby and worked on her blanket between performances and awards. Finished almost half of it. The other good news is Kay's Squad brought home 1st place in the cheer/chant division and 2nd in the cheer/ dance. They also won overall for their division. Go Jacks!! Today I am working on the last square right now and am fixing to start sewing the squares together. I have almost finished the Gertie gecko pattern from YCMT. I just need to sew the legs on. Soon I will have new pics.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

My first finished projects











Okay I finally finished some things. A blanket for my 2 month old nephew, and I spy bags for my girls, hubby's cousins boys, and my nephew. I wanted them to be a little different so I took a clip art picture and enlarged it to full paper size and used that for my pattern. I also embroidered each child's name on the cotton fabric inside the bag. Now these are my very first ones and sewing on vinyl is not easy, so be nice. There is clockwise from top left a tractor, a dragon, an unicorn, an airplane, a car, and a monkey.
All of this cost me nothing. I probably won't be this lucky going forward, but I had everything around the house for these. For anyone making the I spy bags I recommend putting paper or tissue paper over the vinyl to sew on makes it go so much smoother (remembered that trick after the third one.)

Thursday, November 27, 2008

I did it!!

Okay it has been a busy week. My mom had a double mastectomy yesterday and came home today. She wanted to come home to all the usual Thanksgiving foods so my sister and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner. This is NOT something we do. Usually my Nanny and my Dad take care of all of that.I know it is sad. A 28 year old mother of two still relies on her parents and grandparents for all of that but they are good at it. I make the pumpkin pie. But this year We did it all. Turkey, Ham, Green beans, 2 kinds of Mac and cheese, actual cranberry sauce I had to cook, plus the kind in the can. Okay my Nanny did still make the dressing, and the yams, and the fruit salad. but we did the rest including the pumpkin pie and a brownie chocolate chip gooey good dessert.
But back to the point I finished a present. Okay I kinda cheated I actually started said present 2 years ago when I was on vacation and needed something portable to do so I started crocheting a blanket. when I got home from the vacation I lost the pattern book so it never got finished. It is a super cute baby blanket in blue green and yellow. We have had several babies come along since then and I always intended to finish it for one of them but never had the pattern.
well I found it just last month after my sister had her second baby. A little boy. Since he will only be 2 1/2 months old at Christmas. He will be getting said blanket. It is done. one present down and 42 left to go. In 17 days. Tomorrow will be busy.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Black Friday

AAAHHHHH!!! The Ads are here. It is killing me. Usually I hit the stores and buy all the cheaper toys. This year I don't have the money and my children really really do not need anymore stuff. This challenge has been great. It is making me really think about the gifts I give and what those closest to me really would like. But it is soo hard to remember that especially in the face of a really good deal.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

My husband just does not it!!!

Men drive me nuts. Maybe it is just my husband, but he doesn't understand why I want to make the Christmas gifts. Or try and do it under $50. He decided to take my list divide it by $50 and that is what he would spend on my gift. PITA. I will just work twice as hard to prove him wrong. He did come up with an idea to help me. He wants me to put together picture books of his family and under the photo of each member their birthday address and phone number. Pretty cute. and not really that hard or expensive if you do it the right way because it will cover most of his family. but we will see more to foll0w I'll keep you posted.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Okay I have my fifty bucks

My friend had a garage sale this weekend and I took some of my stuff over. I ended up bringing home just over $50. Perfect huh. Okay I know it would have been easier to have more money but since the challenge was for under $50 it worked out pretty perfectly. I was wondering how I was going to afford Christmas this year. LOL. My husband is a little skeptical. he knows I can make the things and he knows I have enough stuff to not even have to go out and buy much unless it is just to match something. BUT he is one who never values a handmade item that cost 1.00 to make verses a store bought item that still only cost $1 to make but you had to spend $20 to buy so I guess I will have to prove him wrong.

Friday, November 21, 2008

New pattern excitement

I am so excited tonight I got a new pattern from YCMT!! Thanks to Kim and all the awesome authors who donated their expertise to ebooks. I picked the easy-fit pants from Carla C. I am going to use it to make cute outfits for my husband's cousins little boys. It is harder to find things to make for little boys, well big boys too. And of course 80% of my Christmas list is for guys. I have 2 nephews my hubby's cousins are all guys and they have 3 boys. My two are the only girls. There are a few females. Sisters, Sister-in-laws, Grandmothers, Mom, and Mother-in-law. Okay alot of women. So many presents and so little time. Well at least I have a little more of an idea what I am going to do. Watch for pictures.

Thursday, November 20, 2008


Just starting

Okay this is the first time I have really done a blog. I am starting this because I was chosen as one of the Thrifty Fifty from YCMT. If you haven't heard of it you can go to http://www.youcanmakethis.com/ or click on the button below and check out their blog for more info. Basically I am going to be making my Christmas gifts for under $50 this holiday season. I will have to be creative and resourceful. I have a ton of supplies so I will be okay there it will just be trying to match a gift up with each person. I have Titled my blog Autumn's Alley because I figured this challenge should be right up my alley.