30-Something Tablerunner

Here's my current WIP:

It's the 30-Something Tablerunner Kit I received from Mel a few weeks back. It was so much fun to make and I love how the narrow white sashing looks against all those great 1930s prints. It's so sunshiny!

Now I just have to make the binding and put on the backing and I'll be done :) I'm thinking a red print for the binding and a blue one for the back. What do you think?

I won!!

I can't believe I won this beautiful kit from Mel's Own Place! I don't win things!


And I am so excited to be making this table topper - it feels so good to be doing something creative after what feels like a really long break. DH probably can't wait for me to finish because the living room (where I do any craft work) is in a shambles!

Mel's Thirty-Something Table Runner is really beautiful (and she designed it herself!), and I'm just hoping mine turns out half so well. I'm finding that sewing the bias-cut triangles is a challenge for me, but I'm learning so much as I go along. Thanks so much Mel!!

Button Swap

I haven't had a chance to blog about the swaps I've been involved in until now but I'm gonna try to do double time to catch up and make up for not posting in almost a month!

These are the buttons I made to send to Christy of Visualized by Christy. She hosted a button swap, but I turned out to be the only one to sign up. It's a shame too because it was a really simple, stress free and super-fun swap! I also sent these coasters that I made out of the same great thrifted fabric:As well as these charm squares:

And here is what I received from Christy:
These fabulous animal themed charm squares; I love the peppermint pink
and those bunnies with the giant eyes are adorable...


And Christie made magnets using these same fabrics as well as 4 buttons using the blue bunnies. Isn't her packaging is really nice too?

I can't wait to use all of these! Thanks for hosting and for being a great swap partner, Christie!

Rice Heat Therapy Bag

I made a rice-filled heat therapy bag tonight to take with me to the hospital whenever my baby decides he or she is ready to come meet us. We have a heat pack already, but it's one of those hot/cold ones, so I decided to put that in the freezer and just make a heat pack so I'll have both if I need 'em. I followed this great tutorial at Sew, Mama, Sew! and these are the results.

It kind of looks like a Neopolitan cookie to me. Is that weird?

I really only looked at the pictures and briefly glanced at the instructions because I (stupidly) didn't feel like following the directions and I already had a piece of muslin for the inner bag but it wasn't the size called for so I went and figured it out as I went.

Note to self: you stink at math, and you always under-estimate how long and hard things are going to be. Self, next time, follow the directions and save yourself the trouble, okay?

Where Was This Pattern 3 Months Ago?

...When I could have really used it?! I love the elastic-waist (oooooh, how I've come to appreciate elastic) maternity skirt tutorial posted by See Mama Sew. Check it out if you're preggers or know someone who is!

Makeup Bags

How is it that we can never, ever have enough "little bags". And how come I feel so much better inside when I know things are organized into wee pouches in my purse or closet? It's a mystery, but I do, and I think most of woman-kind would get behind me on this point.

Anyway, I was going through iPhoto and saw these makeup bags I made for a friend last year - and now I want some for me!! Hmmmm...I wonder what Hubby will think of adding another project to the list...












Isn't the fabric fun?!

The "RolyNester" pattern is from StudioKat Designs. They have some fabulous ideas over there - they really are bags "designed for the way women REALLY live". Check out some of the impressive examples of this pattern from other crafters - and I thought the larger ones were difficult!

I heart freecycle!

A lovely lady on freecycle offered these fabulous sample fabrics that her design company was getting rid of. What a goldmine!!! I got them home and threw all my plans for the day right out the window. I couldn't wait to test drive them, just a wee bit, so I made this pincushion out of the tiny sateen samples...I hate the way the photo turned out (I really need to learn how to use our amazing new camera) but I do love my new pincushion :)

I have to sit on my hands to keep from crafting up all the rest of the samples before I've say, done the dishes, or arranged with the hospital for our stay when my baby comes in 4 weeks...these of course are just minor roadblocks on the highway to sewing nirvana.

It's the Square Deal Pincushion from HELLOmynameisheather; I really enjoy Heather Bailey's website. The design is beautiful and her designs and photos are so inspiring!