Amigurumi

Okay, I have caught a bug...I can't stop crocheting!!!   Here are some of the cute things I have made lately...

Nighty-nite panda

A new softie...he's made of fleece and felt, and I tucked a little packet of lavender and chamomile buds into his belly.  :)

Amigurumi

My first attempt...it's been about 35 years since I've crocheted.  It brought back great memories of my grandma, though.  Here's the cute little kitty I made.  Can't wait to start on my next one... a birthday gift for my daughter Ashley.  This is what I do in the evenings, while watching tv, after my poor back has had enough sewing for the day.

College/any team BBQ set

College/any team BBQ set

I love cherries

My friend Cherry teaches at a local college, and wanted a bag to carry her supplies and books in.  So this is Cherry's bag.  (She also loves cherries, imagine that)  It is so happy and colorful, and I just love it!

dedicated to my grandma...

My grandma inspired in me my love of nature, music, antiques, and all things crafty.  Therefore, I dedicate my newest creation to her memory.  I just wasn't feeling very creative lately, and decided to just sit down and do some of the creative types of things that I used to do with her.  That means BY HAND.  Grandma never used a sewing machine, didn't even own one, but she made some of the most beautiful creations, and I'd really like to do more of this...so...my posts will be a lot farther apart, most likely, LOL!  This buttery shade of yellow heavy cotton twill fabric was given to me by my good friend, Tonya, of Tonya's Sewing room.  Thanks again, Tonya!!

a few new purses

I've made a few new things over the past couple of days...here's a couple of totes/purses...been kinda playing around with my pattern, but I always come back to the basic gusseted bottom, just love how it looks.  Also made a purse organizer, and I love it!!

What I've been doing

for the past few days...working on John Deere stuff.  I made a few more loopie blankets and decided to make a little soft tractor to go along with them.  I put a little crackle paper inside for that extra little bit of interest...

John Deere girly tote bag...

I have to give it up to hubby, he thought of this when he was at Joanns with me...good idea!  I've already sold two!  Love the lime and pink!

John Deere baby stuff!

Today I made this super cute John Deere baby blanket!  It is flannel JD print, with yellow fleece on the back.  It's 28x38, and so cuddly!  I also made a baby girl JD loopie!!  More to follow...

new stuff

Took a little trip to Joanns today...only had a few things on my list, but you know how that goes...they were having a good sale, and hubby had a great idea for something for me to make...of course I had to buy more ribbon and a ton of buttons!  Maybe tomorrow I'll have some pics!  I get so excited to get new stuff!

another large tote...

I really like this oversize tote I made for my step-sister, Shanda.   The bright butterfly print is so pretty!  It has a black lining, a side pocket, lots of interior pockets, and a silver magnetic snap closure.

Herbal flea/tick collars and bandanas

In the spring, I started noticing that insects were very bad, and I had found a couple of ticks on my inside doggie, Zeus, just from running out to potty.  After reading online that lavender could be used as a natural flea deterrent, I decided to roll them into a cloth bandana, to see if it would help.  Zeus never got the first flea, and as an added bonus, we saw a marked difference in his behaviour.  He calmed down!!  However, he did get another tick or two...so, after more research, I used a combination of essential oils on a new collar/bandana, and he has not had a tick since.  The new combo is supposed to keep away all insects, including mosquitos and flies.  I am selling these for $5, and they will last around 90 days, about the same as a regular flea/tick collar.  I have read that they do not work well for cats, apparently cats are sensitive to essential oils, but in my experience it works very well for a dog!  I make them as a collar or a bandana, for those doggies who don't like bandanas!

and so it begins...

Today hubby and I registered and had orientation for our college classes.  I am carrying a full load, so this should be interesting.  I hope it doesn't cut into my sewing time too much, LOL.  Yesterday I made 7 new taggie blankets.  I want to attach pacie holders, but haven't found any affordable options yet.  Will keep searching ebay till I find something.  I have lots of ideas swimming around in my brain for new monsters...maybe I'll start on those later...after spending half the day at the college, this old brain is a little tapped out.  ;)

Yes, I am a Slacker...

I know most bloggers post daily, but since I lost my job, I'm busier than ever!  Lots of sewing...lots of custom orders.  I am going to just post a bunch of random pics, so you can see a little of what I've been up to.  I have SOOOO many ideas in my head about things I want to make, and there just aren't enough hours in the day.  Hubby and I will both start school in the fall, so time will be even more difficult to find, I'm afraid.  Anyway, for those who are interested....here are a few things, and I promise to TRY to do better in the future.  :)

Ahhhh....

Here is my newest venture.  I have bone spurs and arthritis in my neck, and love using a neck pillow.  A few months ago, mine sprung a leak, and I started finding little beans all over the house, so I decided to make another.  This one is made of soft flannel (and I love this print!) and filled with organic buckwheat hulls and lavender and chamomile.  It can be heated in the microwave, and it feels so nice!

 

Another purse

Well, ya just never know...I made a purse for my mom a few weeks ago, and when I posted the pics on Facebook, I immediately got two orders for the same purse.  I found this amusing, because when I ordered this material, I thought "no one but my mom could like this".  Mom's taste is a bit eccentric, but hey, so is mine!  Anyway, when I told mom, she was less than pleased, saying that she thought she was getting an original, and she didn't want everyone having a purse like hers.  So after these two, this fabric will have to be retired, LOL.  I did change this one up a little, with a different color lining, and a button/snap closure.  So here is a pic of the newest one.

Loopies

I decided since I did not create "taggies", I will call mine "loopies".  If you know me, it fits, LOL.  I got some different cloth, and made another today while it snowed, sleeted, rained...etc.

 

 

Mom's purse

This is the tote bag I made for my mom...she loves tropical prints, and I did a little special gold trim for an accent.  I have batting in it, and thought about quilting it, but decided against, and here's how it turned out.  I'm kinda proud of the front pocket, all lined up with the shell, just like someone who knows what she's doing.  :)

 

  

 

Ryleigh's quilt

This was actually the project that got me back into sewing.  I hadn't sewn in years, and one day I saw a program while I was in a doctor's waiting room that inspired me.  We had just found out that my daughter Lindsey was expecting our first grandchild, a girl, and I wanted to make her something special.  I had kept many of my childrens' drawings over the years, and I wanted to incorporate Lindsey's childish drawings into a quilt for her baby.  I didn't take photos when I finished it, so this photo was taken today, almost 11 months later, after being loved and washed and dried, and loved some more.  This quilt made the trip home from the hospital with Ryleigh, and goes everywhere with her.  What more could a grandma ask?  Lindsey says people inquire about the quilt everywhere she goes.  It was definitely a labor of love, my crazy sewing machine balking every stitch of the way.  For this reason, most of the applique work is hand-stitched.  It was all worth it, seeing how attached Ryleigh is to it.