p.s.phyllis sews

Mom's gift

2012-02-08T17:01:00.000-08:00

My mother's birthday is this weekend.

This year she is living in a new place.

I loved creating the cross stitch heart...

and using some of this leftover fabric from a tablecloth project

that I found at Joann's.....

with rescued fabric on the back

It will hang from any door!

I just want her to know I love her very much!

Valentine Pins

2012-02-08T16:54:00.000-08:00

I saw the pink fleece first and fell in love with it.

Since Valentine's Day is coming, I had to make many heart pins.

Alittle hand sewing, many buttons, hot glue and a pin...

Voila!

I think they just might put a smile on alot of

faces! Can't wait to deliver them.

Wristlets

2012-02-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

Look at these bright colors!

Together they make a hip pocket which I have liked alot.

It holds a cell phone, a small wallet, keys, tissues and away you go!

But I have many left over after the fall craft fair season.

So I chopped it off.

Then I chopped the rest!

I managed to sew the handle on the right side for all but one.

Since I am a lefty, I guess I will have to use this one!

(wink wink!)

Product development, don't you know.

Fun with Hand Quilting

2012-01-14T18:43:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do a simple quilt with a seasonal theme and put it in my shop.

Can I really make a different quilt for each month of this year?

That might be a fun challenge!

I wanted to use some buttons in the hand quilting.

Having just received a wonderful gift of embroidery thread,

quilting by hand added great fun to the back of the quilt.

Maybe the next one will show more even stitches.

So how would you display a quilt like this?

On the wall or on the table.

And, do you know what "HH" stands for?

Holly Hobbie but I was thinking about Happy Hearts.

Do I have a Happy Heart?

That sounds like a question to answer another time.

A Baby Bag

2012-01-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

There's a new baby boy in our extended family.

Of course, I used fabric from the stash for the inside,

pocket and binding.

I also attached the handles differently.

I can't decide if I like it or not.

Hope it is useful for the new mother and father.

latest project

2012-01-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

This is an old-fashioned lingerie bag for elegant travel.

All your most delicate clothing can travel in the pockets.

Some are edged with piping.

That's the tricky and fussy part.

One I edged with lace - that was easier.

The easiest is to use a heavier outside fabric

and sew around the outside edges.

All the fabric used for these projects were rescued from

friends and even my daughter's old dress!

Now I have the pattern pieces and I'm working

on the step by step directions.

Fun with Flannel

2012-01-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

Flannel scraps in my collection got my attention

in the week between Christmas and New Years.

Don't you wonder how old the animal print is?

Several years ago in chilly Maryland I made a flannel jacket from the aqua

and lined with light blue.

I don't even remember why I bought the fruit print.

Altogether, I thought it could make a sweet lap blanket for

someone in a nursing home.

The backing on this one is corduroy and

there is no batting.

A decorative stitch should

hold the seams nicely.

I wish I could say that I used up all my flannel

scraps but I didn't.

What I do have is a great collection of blankets

waiting to be given away!

The new year!

2012-01-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday morning I review my week by filling out this form.

I write about things I am grateful for each and every day.

But then, I want to remember from one week to the next

just where I have seen His blessing in my life, in my family,

and in my work.

Another year is done.

It's time to move all those weekly forms to another folder

and start collecting them for 2012.

Part of the form that is missing is the list of the Fruits of the Spirit.

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-Control.

So, I get to remember how has God allowed each of those fruits to be

on display for the week.

I looked over all 52 forms and found that Self-Control had a negative

rating or phrase on 23 of those 52 weeks.

Probably no one else has this weakness...(ha!) I love chocolate too much!

Guess what I want to work on this year?!

What are your New Year's resolutions?

More Christmas pictures

2012-01-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to post more pictures of Christmas

before I start putting it all away!

This is the nativity scene that belonged to my dad's mom.

They never had alot of money and this simple set

has always been my favorite.

One lamb has only 3 legs and must lean on the shepherd.

That's how I need to be in real life.

For several years now, my husband and I are supposed to buy a

set limit of presents to fill the stockings.

The old stockings were too small! I made

the bigger, quilted versions last year.

They work much, much better!

Cross stitch and quilting together are a favorite for me.

Christmas is such a special time and this year was especially

wonderful in our time together as a family.

My hope is that any who read this blog post

have had a similarly blessed holiday season.

Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

Here is a peek at what hangs on my tree.

Some were gifts - like the amazing cross stitch -

to remember every Christmas when the tree gets decorated.

Some I cross stitched.

Some candy canes are real.

Some are made from red and white plastic beads.

Some hold treats.

And some day I hope to record the stories behind them all.

Christmas is nearly here.

From my house to yours, may I wish you a very joy-filled Christmas.

A special request

2011-12-23T19:21:00.000-08:00

My co-worker asked me to make a special bag

for a friend. She wanted violets because her friend loves violets.

She never saw a violet one so I went searching....

and searching for violets.

But, at home in one of my bins, I found these old embroidered

napkins that were ready for a new life.

The inside is lined and has a pocket.

The outside has 2 different but great fabrics that

complement the centerpiece.

She liked it and so did I!

Owl Ornaments

2011-12-12T21:18:00.000-08:00

These little guys are so fun!!

Lots of little Christmas fabrics are getting used up

and since there are many, many buttons

that are getting used up, too!

It's so fun to see if there are any fabrics that don't really

combine well. So far, so good.

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes?

2011-12-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

December 1 was the deadline.

The phone has been ringing non-stop this whole week

as people scrambled to get all their paperwork in.

The mail delivery people brought us 3 - 4 crates of mail

every day this week.

I never like to have boxes on the floor....

there simply is no place left!

Deadlines are funny things.

People don't take them seriously until....

they arrive!

Makes me want to remember my own deadlines better

and...

remember that this really is the Christmas season!

The tree helps alot...

and so does the owl.

Have a wonderful weekend!

How We Spent Black Friday!

2011-12-02T06:25:00.000-08:00

We spent the day in Galveston. First we had to step into

the cool Gulf waters.

Then we had a fabulous lunch.

Next was shopping in many really cool shops!

I think my daughter found a Christmas present for me.

And I found this really sweet owl that had to go to my office.

The weather was overcast and the street lamps were lit.

It was a perfect day!

Another job completed!

2011-11-28T19:36:00.000-08:00

In September, a trio of ladies visited my booth

and asked if I would be willing to make bounce seats

for their day care.

The frames were in great shape but

the constant washing of the covers

wore the fabric out.

It was a challenge I wanted to try.

The animal piece has been waiting in the stash for a while.

Quilting around the animals really made them pop!

They asked for gender neutral design so

that was fun to create the design: horizontal

like the one above or more vertical like

the rest below.

See the green? I had yards and yards of it at one time.

Now the green is all used up! Only scraps remain!

The animals in this one were so cute! Since we have

had guinea pigs for pets, I am always looking for

fabric with them. (rather rare!)

The fabric for this one really took me back quite

a few years. How many of these characters do you recognize?

Success!

2011-11-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

This is an old-fashioned lingerie bag.

I searched all over ETSY and Amazon

and at the local Joanne's for a pattern

to no avail.

Fortunately, I could borrow the real thing and

sew my second attempt. (Remember

the failure here ?)

It turned out smaller than I wanted but I know what to do

next time.

Those honeycomb pockets were quite a trick!

I was stopped by them for about an hour

but eventually, I figured it out!

What a great feeling!

Can't wait to try this one again!

What was your last challenge?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

I love bags!

That's probably an understatement

if you have read anywhere

else on my blog.

But, I wanted to do little bags that could be used

in every day errands.

Or be a centerpiece to a Thanksgiving meal.

Or a decoration on a door handle to collect our thanks

over the whole month of November.

I also learned how to make it reversible!

I followed the directions here.

Thankfulness is how I start my day.

Every morning, I write down 5 things from the day

before for which I am thankful.

My daughter and I started this many years ago.

She was more faithful to the directive than I was

until a really hard time about 6 years ago

when I started keeping track of those 5 things daily.

Now I know how much gratitude has shaped my life

and I just don't want to start a day without spending

a few moments expressing my gratitude to

my Heavenly Father.

Today is Thanksgiving.

May you want to start a new tradition, too.

Mini bags! Treat size.....

2011-11-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

Now this is so much fun!

A woman has asked for mini treat bags for the preschool class

for whom she will be providing Christmas treats.

But, they did not have to be in Christmas fabric.

So I played with an idea.

Liked the dimensions and the simplicity of the bag.

They measure 4 inches wide and 6 inches deep

with a 9-inch handle.

Used up lots of decent sizes of fabric scraps!

There are only 2 seams: the bottom

and a french seam

down the back to make

a clean inside without lining

them.

If you got a treat bag today, what would you want to find inside?

more zips

2011-11-08T15:34:00.000-08:00

I love these little bags that I call zips!

A friend found the fabric squares on Ebay.

Originally, it was going to be a tote bag but

I never finished.

I used some zippers that I rescued off of Craigslist.

These came from a bag that I was not using

so I made 4 zips to sell at the fairs.

I will use these in so many different ways.

...for coins, customer cards, medicine bottles,

my cell phone, colored pencils or whatever.

How about you? What would you use a zip for?

Perfect time for pumpkin cookies

2011-11-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

When there are pumpkins in the store,
I want pumpkin cookies to eat!

It really doesn't matter where

we live - down in Texas or

north in New York or Maryland.

The recipe changes with whatever you add to the batter.

I chose to add dried cranberries that

sat a l-o-n-g time in water to plump them up.

I also added chopped walnuts and some

chocolate chips.

The recipe:

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. butter, margarine or shortening or a combination
1 egg, beaten

4 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal which I put in the food processor to make it more like a coarse flour

1 15-oz. can of pumpkin

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. chips or raisins or walnuts or sunflower seeds or......

Cream the sugars and margarine (or butter) together first.

Then add the egg, pumpkin, vanilla, flour, oatmeal and baking soda.

Scoop onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or so.

They don't spread too much and have a cake-like consistency.

Enjoy!

garden

2011-11-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

An update on the garden.

The zinnias survived and are even thriving in

the changeable temperatures

we are currently experiencing.

The little white oak is holding its own.

Unlike the other, large trees, this one did receive

water regularly and should come through

the drought well. (fingers crossed!)

The morning glories always surprise me.

They look so dead at the base and then,

there at the top are a couple of flowers

with their stunning blue!

On a whim, I had so many zinnia seeds saved from

last year that I put them in next to the door.

After being "dramatic" most of the summer, they have

acclimated to their spot and are flourishing.

By "dramatic" I mean they always looked near

the edge of death when they caught the

afternoon sun. The next morning, they would be

upright and seemingly oblivious to their

distress the day before!

The drought has caused houses all over Houston

to settle and with our house settling, the main

line broke. The line is fixed the mud is now dry and

this portion of our yard waits for cooler

temps so we can dig out a foot from the house and

put in rocks!

Doesn't that job just sound like so much fun!?

Can fabric be twice rescued?

2011-11-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

Originally, I bought the print fabric below from Walmart

because it was extra wide and perfect for tablecloths

at receptions after the piano recitals that my students would perform.

Afterall, if you are going to make kids get nervous and

perform in front of a room full of grownups,

you had better have good food after and

you had better pick the music they like the best to perform.

A move or 2 later and the piano students gave way to

full-time work outside the house and the tablecloths

became placemats.

But they have languished in the crafts consignment

shop looking more and more forlorn.

Each placemat made 2 bags!

The pinwheel block became the front of the bag.

The binding was kept in tact so

the top of the bag is finished.

A bag just the right size to fill up with little treats

to give away after a birthday party.

Or maybe, they will become the perfect excuse to give away

to family birthdays over this next year.

In this case, fabric can be twice rescued!

Fair season!

2011-11-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday in October was busy!

A different fair for each Saturday.

Always a gracious host church with helpful volunteers

that helped with setting up my tent.

Sometimes even with carrying my boxes to

my allotted spot.

Gorgeous Texas weather with only one challenge:

wind so steady and strong that my canopy snapped!

It's been a very busy month!

Epic Failure!

2011-10-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

I always thought those words were an exaggeration

until....

I am trying to make a lingerie bag with accordion-style

pockets that I just haven't got the hang of......YET!

So I have put out the call and do so here to see if I

can get my hands on one!

This is a challenge that is NOT going to get the best of me!

Any thoughts you can share with me?

Or do you have a pattern to share?

A found poem

2011-10-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Let Me Grow Lovely

Let me grow lovely, growing old--
So many fine things do:
Laces, and ivory, and gold,
And silks need not be new;
And there is healing in old trees,
Old streets a glamour hold;
Why may not I, as well as these,
Grow lovely, growing old?

Karle Wilson Baker

I found this poem in a notebook of my Dad's mom.
We called her the little grandma
because she shrunk to under 5 feet in height.

She had an interesting life
with many trials
yet she was lovely in spirit.

With thoughts like this poem
and a deep interest in the Bible,
I understand why.

Thanks, Grandma, for giving me
wisdom on how I might age with more grace.

The "little" Grandma is on the left with my younger brother.

Does a sign make one more professional?

2011-09-28T05:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend Theresa at TCards, I now have a unified look.

My business cards, price tags, this blog and

Etsy shop have the same design elements

which she carefully crafted to me.

The last step was to get a banner.

I had high hopes of creating my own out of fabric.

I had too much fun doing other projects and

so, Vistaprint to the rescue.

The customers were fun and I scurried back to greet this one!

New Cookies!

2011-09-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

Don't these look delicious?

Trust me, they are!

I ate a couple on the way to work this morning.

The traffic was snarly and...

they called my name!

They gave me lots of energy to start my day.

I had a big morning of setting up tables

and putting tablecloths on the tables.

Beautiful place to gather my thoughts!

2011-09-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

I went to Maryland to rest for a day before returning

to Houston, Texas.

The rich green of the grass and trees

called me to sit down

by the lake through those trees

and enjoy the silence.

The water was calm,

the air was still and cool

and I was reminded that

"He leadeth me beside still waters."

My heart needed that so much,

I left an hour later quite refreshed.

Changes....sigh.

2011-09-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

This is the dining room of the only childhood home I have ever known.

My parents are getting up in years and the home has become

a burden and not the blessing it was when we were all

at home and growing up!

The living room looked so stark without the pictures

and knick knacks

and comfy furniture.

The front entry echoed

without the rug

and the bureau.

The piano we played for many years is

waiting to go to another family.

The kitchen where many meals were cooked

and Christmas cookies finished

was silent.

They have a lovely apartment now

near my brother and his extended family.

They have services that help them

manage daily activities.

The neighbors were all so complimentary

of the kind of neighbors they had been.

I am proud to be their daughter.

I have great comfort in knowing that

"To everything there is a season...."

First Fair of Fall, 2011!

2011-09-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

The pictures are dark but the day was anything but!

Lots of people came through and so many

were encouraging in their kind remarks.

I was out of friendship bags and many zips!

I also got to talk to lovely ladies about a

project for their daycare.

Water Bottle Carriers

2011-09-09T04:26:00.000-07:00

What can one do with a stack of hand towels

that a friend gladly gives to you?

Make them the "batting" inside ....

...a water bottle carrier!

Oops! I put the lining material on the outside.

I am trying to use up scraps of owl fabric and...

lining fabric that was part of a fabric rescue in Maryland.

I made some more last night and

the color choices are getting brighter as I go.

With the towel inside, a water bottle will sweat but not leak!

I have frozen a bottle of water and carried it in one

of these all day without a leak!

These will be on sale at "Shop Til You Drop"

at the Berry Center

tomorrow.

Bible Covers

2011-09-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

And a friend from my work place wanted a cover for the Bible

that she is giving to her granddaughter.

Can you tell which one she picked?

(Warning: this is a trick question!)

So I took advantage of Home Spun Threads special page here

and made her Bible cover pattern.

This one was made from remnants that I showed here and here.

Alas, the flap closes alittle funny so I was more attentive when I made this one.

I think the rose and brown batik one below is my favorite.

The black one was the first one and I doubled the flannel between the fabric.

It seemed bulky to me so I made the others with a single layer of fabric.

My friend picked 2! She liked the first and the third ones.

What a blessing her encouragement and enthusiasm is to me!

I can't wait to make some more, the pattern is great and

they went together very easily!

Heat!

2011-09-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

Throughout the whole month of August

and into the month of September,

we have had triple-digit heat.

The zinnias are not happy!

The morning glory looks so sad, doesn't it?

The Italian Basil is fine.

The other basil is scorched!

Tropical Storm Lee broke our triple-digit heat wave.

But the winds whipped up the fires.

There are fires burning north and west of us.

The haze and smell is alittle terrifying.

You can't be a wimp living in Texas!

Texas needs rain!

Lanyards

2011-08-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

I had an inspiration....

The handles I make for all my bags are

wider or thinner depending on how big

the bag is.

So... I thought a thin handle could be sewn in one

complete circle to be used as a lanyard

to hold a name badge and keys.

My husband liked them and wanted the Houston Texans

one for his work badge.

Such a great way to using up strips from the scrap bucket.

drought!

2011-08-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

I am pretty naive.

Not having rain for many days combined with triple digit heat

is a disaster for the garden.

The zinnias are looking pretty peaked!

The little maple tree has brown edges to its leaves.

The zucchini plant never had a chance!

Being a farmer in this climate

can't possibly be easy.

This kind of heat gives me a real understanding

that extreme heat is as dangerous as extreme cold.

But, that's another story.

Hopefully, it's cooler where you are today!

new idea!

2011-08-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

I had this idea to make little pouches

that looked like owl faces.

With a zipper in the back

this will hold all the important stuff securely.

There's plenty of room but the design needs some

tweaking.

Back to the sewing machine!

Another I-spy

2011-08-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

I-Spy quilts are really, really fun!

The best fun is collecting the unique fabrics

Animals on the farm or in the zoo

owls, too

come on many fabrics

but the moose was a surprise!

How about these dogs in the Canine News?

The backing fabric came from a women whose business

is to sell fabric she finds at estate sales.

So this must be vintage fabric

especially if you see what represents N.

N for Nag and a horse is in the box.

It's been a long while since I have

heard that word used for horse!

What is your most unusual piece of fabric right now in your stash?

Hip Pocket bags

2011-08-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I don't want to carry a large bag.

I just want to carry my cell phone, wallet, keys and sunglasses.

Can't forget the tissues, either, but that's another story.

Thus, the hip pocket was born.

Can you see the old metal zipper I put in the one above?

A recent craigslist find was a bonanza of thread and zippers.

I hope it won't be a deterrent to its appeal

but all the zippers I received were in great condition.

They were begging to be put to use.

It's so fun to see what fabrics can be used from the stash bin.

Also, just how daring will I get with the color choices?

In the above 2 bags, my sense of daring was limited to the strap.

I couldn't resist trying to get one more bag from

the little bit that was left of this cat fabric!

They are now in my shop!

Special people need a special start!

2011-08-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

What do you do with scrap pieces of leftover leather?

A simple design....

...repeated many times! 24 to be exact!

Music fabric on the back for a special group.

The freshmen arrived today for Orientation week.

This will be a busy week

with many "firsts" and activities

outside of music.

Perhaps this keychain will be

encouragement that the School of Music

is happy they are here.

My Sewing Machine Woes!

2011-08-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Do you notice what's missing?

I was happily sewing over the weekend when rather abruptly

the needle would not go up and down.

I took out my bobbin,

I checked all over for misfeeds and

stray threads....

To my horror I discovered that thread was wound

around the handwheel!

I got my machine back but the timing was off and

now it is in the shop for 3 weeks!

What do I do? What DO I do?

Surely you understand how much I miss my sewing machine!

I posted on Craigslist and heard from a very kind CarolAnn.

She had this machine that would be great for me!

I agreed!

and bought it!

without any hesitation!!

The bonus was ....

this walking foot for quilting.

I have never had one.

So I had to practice right away!

And this is part of what's waiting for me tonight

when I get home from work.

It's hard to concentrate right now

just thinking about these projects!

Good thing my job is mostly data entry, emails and meeting/greeting.

Solids challenge in pinks, blues and purple

2011-08-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

You saw the inspiration piece from my last post.

So, I tried again with some other colors and

used variegated thread on the top side.

I also did 2 different kinds of quilting.

I even left 2 places "un"quilted.

It's been a personally illuminating exercise to work with solids.

There's a different quality about the pieces.

I have learned that I could be more flexible in

how I put fabric together and that I

want to push my free-motion quilting skills.

a Solid Fabric challenge

2011-08-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

Every day I go to work, I walk by this piece of art.

I love the colors but don't tell my husband that I admire the yellow.

It's really the blues and the green that I like more.

He won't understand and that's a whole other story.

So, our challenge was to replicate it with all solid fabrics.

Here is my version and it was really hard to do!

um.....I am not sure how successful I was.

But it's done and it's very modern.

This is the back and the difference in the quilting is the use of 3 different greens.

Again, um.....not sure that I really know what I am doing here.

I sent it in the mail and I hope my swap buddy is ok with it.

I know that I always want to be learning something

and this definitely was a learning experience.

I actually did the piece again in pinks, blues and purples.

I will post that one tomorrow.

Quilted Table Runners for Sew N Tell Fridays

2011-07-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

I have been quilting!

The centers of each table runner was

quilted in long 1 to 1 1/2 inch strips

in a quilt-as-you-go-fashion.

Then the border helps decide what goes on the center part.

The birds for this one were so cute to replicate and applique.

The Michael Miller fabric was a perfect frame to this one.

Since I love owls, this guy with his huge eyes was a perfect

way to adorn a corner.

I could not wait to work with this very unusual batik.

I had some very old ladybug fabric that was perfect

to add to the other white and cream strips.

The flower on this runner was a natural

when I paired it with this fabric from Hancocks.

So this was the end of all my current stash of cream, white and tan solids

and that was my goal when I started making these quilted runners.

They are also now in my shop.

I love how old and new fabrics come together!

I am linking to Sew N Tell so you can see what others have finished this month.

Coming soon...the fall fairs season

2011-07-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

I had a revelation of sorts!

If I say that I am a professional fabric rescuer....

(as in I get paid for the bags and such I make from fabric

that others are willing, even eager to give away to me)

and.....

I want people to buy my market bags and gift bags to

cut down on the amount of paper and plastic bags

we (as in the collective we) use,

then.....

do I dare to use any plastic bags in my booth?

So, someone buys a couple of my zips or

glasses cases or an owl, I have offered and even given

those purchases in a plastic bag for them to carry away.

Ouch!

This week has been spent in taking some fabric that I have had

in my stash for some time or is in large quantities

and....

creating the perfect little shopping bag!

They measure 14 inches by 10 or 11 inches and the

handles are using up ribbon from my stash.

I might actually have to hunt down more

ribbon!

Teddy bear, teddy bear!

2011-07-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

Isn't this really cute fabric?

It is a medium-weight upholstery fabric that my friend has loved as....

... this bag!

But the lining was a black plastic or something

and quickly became torn.

So, I replaced the lining.

The pink was originally lining for

drapes in a little girl's room.

Not my girl but from someone

who was ready to let go of the fabric.

I originally thought I would take the purse apart but

that thought was quickly dispensed because of the gooey

stuff to which they attached the outside fabric.

So, I simply added another line of stitch to contain

the top of the lining and keep the nasty

sticky stuff behind the new lining.

She loved it!

And so do I!

Galveston!

2011-07-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, we ran away and sat on the beach!

The water was warm and the breezes were gentle.

We enjoyed the water.

We enjoyed the shade under the umbrella

with the breeze to keep us cool on an otherwise brutally hot day.

When can we go back?

how does your garden fare?

2011-07-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Gardening = changing a bare backyard the size of a postage stamp into a lovely green space.

I make no predictions when the final result will happen

I simply put these photos up as the showing of where we are today.

The little tree that was planted last year is growing well.

Just not fast enough to out-grow the zinnias.

All the zinnias in these pictures came from the seeds that I collected

from last year! Totally AMAZING how easily they grow!!

The basil likes its spot and I discovered that fresh basil all ground up

in a loaf of bread made in the bread machine is fragrant and great tasting bread.

To one slice add shredded cheese and toast so you have a great little snack!

The tomato plants are growing very well...

I just want more tomatoes!

These timeless words speak to me during these really uncomfortably hot days.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11

My skills in gardening are hit or miss.

The beauty in what is growing and how well it is doing

is more a testimony to the miracle of life

God lets me see!

One part of creation I wish I never saw or felt....

Even if I sit next to this lovely and burning citronella candle,

the mosquitos will still be biting me!

They love me too much?

How about you?

What do you love about this season where you are?

one pair of jeans

2011-07-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

Recently I shared my fabric rescue idea with a staff member in another department.

She wanted to give me her husband's worn-out jeans

because she felt like they still had some life in them!

I agree! I used parts of the pants in 4 different bags!

I loved the paint adding character to 2 of the bags!

The back pockets went inside 2 of the bags!

Denim is such a durable fabric...it's fun to see what you can

do to extend the life of something.

In this case, the jeans couldn't be worn any more but

they are part of 4 tote bags that should last for quite a while longer!

Many Jeans bags!

2011-07-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

My stack of jeans have been waiting for me to start sewing!

So, this weekend has been beastly hot in Texas and sewing

is the best way I know to cope with high temperatures.

The purple in the picture does not even begin to show like it does in real life!

The purple jeans find in a local thrift store was a score!

I ended up using the purple in 3 bags!!

And this is all I have left of the stack of jeans!

A new look thanks to a NY friend

2011-07-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

I am so excited!

After participating in Blog Give Away day, I have been working on my Etsy shop which is getting closer and closer to the professional store that I am hoping to achieve.

The feedback caused me to think about gaining a logo to represent me in this business and after contacting a friend in New York, a new logo now adorns this blog.

Do you like it? I do (obviously!)
I can see lots of possibilities!
A 3-day weekend will give me lots of time to play .... at my sewing machine, of course.
It's going to be in the high 90s the whole weekend, but that's Texas and eventually, I might get used to it.

If you want to see more of my friend's work, please visit Tcards here.

My stack of jeans

2011-06-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by.

A whole pile of jeans have been collected from 2 generous people

and 2 thrift stores. I cut apart the legs to get the longest sections

possible and then took the pockets for the inside of the bags.

For this one a white jeans skirt and some ribbon made a completely different look.

I am really liking it more and more.

I loved this owl fabric from Hobby Lobby to line this bag.

Every pair of jeans has character to make a bag fun.

The zipper on the leg of these jeans made me think

of adding a pocket behind.

I actually finished the rest of the bags last night. More pictures will follow this weekend!

There are some purple bags from a pair of purple jeans I found.

That's a tease, I know, but this has been really fun!

I am linking up to AmyLouWho's Sew N Tell.

Please check out the fun others are having.

A special banner

2011-06-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

My husband came back from an educational trip

to see a special banner hung to welcome him home.

What is special about the banner is that all the

flags of the banner were cut from shirts he no longer wears.

Three different shirts were glad to see new life

in this banner since they were now too big

or had an ink stain on them that

rendered them unusable.

The letters were cut out roughly...no stencils were used.

Just a nice thought to welcome him home

for his birthday,

our anniversary and

Father's day!

Now I want to put a different message on the other side.

Perhaps "Home Sweet Home" or

"Happy Birthday"

Market Bags

2011-06-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

My dad's in Pennsylvania so I was not with him.

But, that's why they make great cards that let your dad

know how you feel and phones to stay in touch!

Market bags are so fun! You can match old and new fabrics together so easily!

I was given a couple of yards of this one so

I added 5 different fabrics to make these bags.

I also had this heavyweight fabric that looked

great with these newer fabrics from Hobby Lobby.

The black fabric came from a friend and matched so well with the cake fabric.

I loved that fabric but it was really hard to find fabrics that worked well.

I only had a half yard of the sunflower fabric which made 2 bags

when I added the brown fabric as the topper.

The blue and black fabric was another rescue.

Joanne's had a beautiful topper fabric that worked with both fabrics!

Both of the fabrics in these 2 bags were formerly curtains.

This fabric came from IKEA and I tried a different way on the handles and the

handle already pulled away from the bag. So I repaired the bag

and promptly went back to my other way finishing the handles.

My other kind of market bags get lined and have a pocket inside.

Directional fabrics make me line that bag since there is a seam at

the bottom of the bag.

I still have alot of fabric waiting to be made into market bags but

I am getting closer to having my stock ready for fall fairs!

Finally!!!

2011-06-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to make cute little baskets for

my sewing corner for FOREVER, it seems......

Aren't those hanging baskets so cute?

I found the pattern here and have seen lots of ways to do them.

I loved the ric rac around the top!

I adjusted the handles 2 ways to hang from the IKEA bar.

When I step back (very carefully) you see more of my corner!

My husband gave me the sewing machine picture many years ago and I just love it!

Sewing has a long tradition that inspires me tremendously!

I do not have the courage to show you the rest of my corner since it is quite messy!

No one else probably has this problem, right?

primitive quilts get new use!

2011-06-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

Back in the day.... of first quilts, I eagerly tried more and more patterns.

My sewing machine is an ancient Husqvarna and does not know that there are

attachments for straight line quilting.

So I tried to free-motion straight lines and well....,

try not to laugh too hard at my feeble attempts.

I always loved the bird and berry print in this quilt.

And I thought I was quite ambitious, adventurous or courageous

to use that dark purple with the scarlet red!

I have hung the quilts over the years but now I have too many

and a much smaller space for hanging them.

So.....I cut them up, creating 2 smaller envelope-bags.

I also loved the sewing print in this quilt.

This pattern was from the friend who started

me quilting and she wanted me to test her

pattern. I loved the pattern.

But I needed better contrasting fabrics than green and blue.

The end result is these quilts have new life...

as mini diaper bags, Kindle or I-Pad carriers.

Another successful fabric rescue!

These just might end up in my shop as long as we all understand

that they are primitive attempts of quilting! From several years ago.....

We've joined the ranks!

2011-06-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we rented one of these:

And we moved a bed....

some furniture and great big plastic storage bins full of important stuff

into our daughter's first apartment for her junior year of college.

Some of this great furniture was in storage waiting to be used again!

Why is she moving in now?

She is well ahead of the Fall semester but

she is traveling and playing lots

over the summer and will arrive

back in Texas by the first day of school.

Gotta love a kid who thinks ahead and doesn't ask her parents to do it for her!

Winner and a Huge Thanks!

2011-05-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

I want to thank all of you who stopped by and looked at my ETSY shop - p.s. phyllis sews!

All of you were encouraging to me and I really can't wait to get started!

Robie of Parsimony Etsy Shop is the winner!

Please stop by my blog any time and then, later

please come back to check out my shop at the end of June!

If I tell you when I want to have an improved shop open,

I will be more likely to follow through, right?

Fun Little Dresses

2011-05-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Part of my trip was spent in Ohio where my brother's family lives.

I am great-aunt to 2 very lively and lovely girls who were enchanting!

Their enthusiasm reminded me of another young one in my life,

many years ago who also was so fun to be with each and every day!

She loved her t-shirt dresses!

So why not make some more?

The t-shirts came from Hobby Lobby - their color selection was wonderful!

Cut off about 5 inches and add the skirt fabric

(a cotton knit also from Hobby Lobby) by

gathering it with loose stitches and

sewing a top seam to hold the gathered knit skirt in place.

This fabric reminded me of the book "Put me in the Zoo"

by Robert Lopshire.

Finish it with a cute design on the shirt

to match the circles on the skirt!

The package was sent in the mail today.

I wonder if they will love these as much

as my little (now all grown up) one

did years ago.

Chair Cushions Get a Facelift!

2011-05-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

These poor chair cushions in the kitchen needed some attention!

My parents sit on them every morning for breakfast and

afternoon for lunch.

As you can see the stuffing was coming out of one and the ties had been

sewn on by hand a couple of times.

Since they also extended beyond the edge of the chair seat,

I was concerned for their safety (I don't want to see them slip

out of their seats), I wanted to make them skid-proof

so we could do without those silly ties.

First step was to shorten the cushion.

Second step: Cover with this gorgeous fabric from Joanne's.

They have a blue and white kitchen so it's perfect!

Walmart had just the size I needed for the skid-proofing I had in mind.

It's easy to cut to fit and I sewed it into the side seams.

Step three: turn them out and close the gap by tucking the longer end inside

the shorter side and sew it shut by hand.

Great TV watching activity!

Voila! Mission accomplished.

A fresh look to a well-used spot!

But more importantly, my parents each loved them.

Nobody loads up a dishwasher like my mom!

2011-05-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

I have been in western Pennsylvania visiting my childhood home

to help my parents prepare for the next stage of their lives.

Nobody packs a dishwasher like my mom!

The bottom shelf held all their plates and most of their bowls from

their everyday dishes.

Since we ran out of those dishes, we even had 4 CHINA dinner plates.

The upper shelf did not have as many glasses as the bottom

shelf had plates. I don't think we are drinking enough liquids!

There are some things my mom still does best.....

making the most of her dishwasher,

making the best cheese sauce,

and making the best applesauce from their garden apple trees!!!

A giveaway day with Sew Mama Sew.

2011-05-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

I will admit it right away....I am new to Etsy and have so much to learn.
So I invite any and all visitors to Sew Mama Sew GiveAway Day to look and leave a note.

Please look at my Etsy shop, P.S. Phyllis Sews and then leave a comment about how I can improve my shop.

The best (as in most constructive) comment will earn you an item of your choice that is $15 of less. I do only ship in the United States right now. (I apologize to the huge international creative community!)

Please post by midnight on May 25 and I will select the winner by the best advice I get. Please include which item you would like to receive.

Thanks so much!

Latest fun!

2011-05-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

I love special orders!

When someone asks me to create something to fill a need they have, the

order becomes the quest to solve the problem which ultimately

feels like a puzzle to me. I have often said that about my day job.

I like solving problems AND puzzles.

But I have no inclination towards the crossword puzzle a day like my parents.

or Sudoku like my daughter.

So, once I make one, well I just have to make another.....

And then make more!

So here is my collection of travel bags for curling irons.

2 holders for I-pads.

The salesperson in Walmart thought I was "one apple short of a dozen" as my mother says

because I asked to see the I-Pads but not for purchasing. I used their sales flyer to fold one page to the size of the I-Pad so I would make these wide enough.

Finally, I made these pouches that have become very popular from

Anna's blog called Noodlehead. She has created a really

clear tutorial on how to make them. For me, they went together

so quickly because there were not quilted.

It's been a fun and truly inspirational time to see these

projects come together so quickly.

I also discovered a new fabric store here in Houston.

That's where the pink owl fabric came from. I just

could not resist it!

Go start a project!

A special travel bag

2011-04-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

At Grogan's Mill, a gentleman had a special request.

When he and his wife travel, she takes along her curling iron

that is hot when they are ready to go.

She needs a special bag to hold it

keeping the heat from harming

the other items in her suitcase.

The one side for the hot iron has Insul-Brite batting

and cotton batting quilted into the bag. The Insul-Brite contains

the heat from the curling iron until cool.

The other side for the cord is quilted with cotton batting only.

Once it's folded up and tied in place, you are ready to go.

The little flap adds a cute touch to secure the 2 pockets.

This is now my 100th post!

When I started I did not think I would have

much to share.....

so glad to discover that I was wrong!

Grogan's Mill Craft Fair

2011-04-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I found my way to Grogan's Mill Shopping Center

in The Woodlands, Texas.

It was a beautiful day and the sun was so bright and beautiful.

The wind was blowing at times.

A more gorgeous day could not have been ordered!

The Farmer's Market was set up along with the Craft Fair booths.

I tried a couple of new things with my booth.

First by adding PVC pipe to the end of each table leg,

the table was raised 8 inches making

my display higher and the merchandise easier to see, I think!

Two different sets of queen-sized bed sheets where used to

cover the tables and add color.

Then, a sheer blue fabric was added on top to

add alittle glamour and fun!

That was particularly satisfying because a co-worker had

given me the fabric about

6 months ago and I had been waiting for its perfect place!

The other crafters all had great tips to share. ..

I learned that it takes just 2 to set up my canopy and

just one to take it down.

Venting my canopy will allow the wind to pass through

and it will be less likely to blow away!

We had what I thought was a steady flow of customers

and it looks like

we might all be back there in the fall.

Definitely a great day!

more hip pockets!

2011-04-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

I love mixing new and old fabrics.

In this case, purples of all kinds for a hip pocket.

The front above and the back below:

If you ask my family, they might wonder why if I really like this one.

I have not always been a fan of yellow.

There's probably a deep and really silly reason why.....

but I don't remember!

All I know is the 2 print fabrics in this bag

make the yellow look really yummy and sweet.

Awhile ago I ordered zippers from this Etsy shop.

Their service was great and the colors fantastic.

I finally found the perfect fabric to use the bright orange zipper

that came in that order.

Colors that don't normally seem to go together

learn to play together because of the print.

The back of this bag shows that very well.

Isn't the bird adorable?

Finally, a more traditional bag

because of the floral prints.

Each one is roughly 8 inches wide and 9 inches long.

There is no batting in these so they are very lightweight.

These will probably end up in Women's Industrial Exchange in Baltimore, MD.

I am headed north in May to take care of business

and spend time with my parents.

A New Fabric Rescue for Easter!

2011-04-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

The fabric had been with them for many years, traveling to new places,

and finally it was being let go to me who was very grateful for new fabric for these cuties!

The inspiration for them is here.

But I made them alittle bigger and put jelly beans in them!

And I could not seem to stop!

College Exam Care Packages

2011-04-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

At this time of year, our church women get together

and put together fun packages for our college-aged

students who are heading into exams!

I took the eye glasses that I had made and were

not working like I thought they would.

So I shortened their length by an inch and a half and

added a buttonhole in one corner to put a

key ring.

These fabrics came from the Scrap Swap.

Velcro comes in great colors!

This one is recycling a shirt from my husband's

stock! He got a stain on the pocket and gave it

happily for my use.

The packages get put together this week and will have alot of

fun treats in them besides these pouches.

Should make exam week go much better.

Mini Easter bags

2011-04-10T16:51:00.000-07:00

Aren't these fun?

I have lots of ribbon waiting to be used.

This fabric came from the mom of a church member who had

alot of little pieces to give away.

In the midst of the big bag of these scraps were lots of bunnies!

So, I took alittle fabric, added the bunny and a ribbon sewn

into the side seam. Voila! Cute bags.

Great for candy!

Or a little notepad.

Happy Easter!

A New Bag Style

2011-03-31T06:27:00.000-07:00

Daylight was fading fast when I finished the lighter one yesterday.

So I hurried outdoors to get the pictures.

This is a Simplicity pattern and went together really easily.

I used velcro to make the flap close.

The interfacing that I used on the brown bag was seriously

stiff and was used on the lining. Interesting feel to the bag.

The outside and lining are not made the same way.

For this one I used a lighter weight interfacing on the lining

and it worked. If you are really alert, you will see that the lighter

bag was not completely finished in the first picture

but is in the second picture.

Flowers

2011-03-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

These were delivered on my birthday

while I was at work!

A lovely box of chocolates came with them.

The flowers are still going strong a whole 9 days later!

The oh-so-smooth-and-delicious chocolate did not last 9 days!

I came home to find these on my doorstep.....

The colors are so beautiful!

They got the full afternoon sun until I could get home

and rescue them to the indoors.

These were from my sister and her family.

I love birthdays and I love flowers!

Loved the Scrap Swap!

2011-03-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

I got my first package of scraps from my assigned buddy in the

Sew Sarah's Scrap Swap.

Oops.... I should have taken a picture of the whole pile first!

I got so excited looking at the different patterns and colors!

Impossible now....I already committed half of the scraps to projects like this.

These are hip pockets which I normally quilt as I go and then add

alittle more free-style quilting like I did for this one.

Instead, I sewed the strips onto a long muslin base and then added

the lining to make the inside nice and clean.

This is the back side.

It's perfect for carrying just a few of the most important things

like your wallet, cell phone and sunglasses

for the quick trip out.

Thank you so much, Emily, for being my scrap swap partner!

More owl bags

2011-03-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

I love using owl fabric as the lining to the jeans bags.

I used a bleach pen to write a fun word on this bag.

I love this bright cheery owl fabric as the lining. Some owls are right side up and

the others are upside down. But I don't like to add seams at the bottom

at the bag because of the bulk and once it has been washed, the

seam will probably not stay flat.

This one got an outside pocket from another pair of recycled jeans.

The fabric makes me smile!

The 2 bags turned out better than expected.

Quilting a gift!

2011-03-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

I am very blessed to have a daughter who has

grown into a wonderful young woman.

Last year we picked out a purse pattern and

great fabric for a new bag.

She loved it and has used it to being threadbare and very worn.

It was time for a new one.

She picked great fabric!

It's her signature purple which is not as purple as it is in real life!

It need to be quilted so it might last longer....

with quilted handles, and

an inside pocket.

There was even enough to make a little zip.

But I also wanted her to know how much I love her.

Those horns are really that long!

2011-03-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

One day in December my daughter and I were out practicing

the skill of driving in a very large parking lot.

These cattle were sort of watching us but it reminded me of

what we put in our Christmas letter this year

which is excerpted below.

There’s a saying that “Everything is bigger in Texas.” It’s true! The skies are bigger. The traffic is bigger, 4^th worst for the commute time! The summers are legendary in heat and humidity. The malls are always busy, the buildings are taller and the horns on those cattle are really that long! Needless to say, the bugs are bigger, too!

This one got tired of our endless loops around the lot!

We had fun, though!

Special car bags for travel

2011-03-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

I love cloth containers of all kinds

which is probably why I make so many bags!

Having been inspired by so many different posts on this idea.

I had to try it.

The outside fabric was a Hobby Lobby find! How cool is that to see all those states!

They are like seeing old friends since we have lived in many different places

and crossed the country a number of times.

The inside is a vinyl tablecloth I used on the picnic table outside our Maryland house.

There is a generous sized loop on one side to hang it up in the car.

So, my goal is met in that I used both old and new fabrics

to complete the project.

I have yet to put one in my car, though!

special banners

2011-03-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

I love banners! These measure 84 inches in length.

They have a loop at the end to hang on a nail or picture hook.

There are 10 different colored flags on each banner.

But....

They have a clear vinyl pocket that allows you display photos....

numbers or maybe even letters.....

or words!

I have had the privilege of working with a local preschool in developing

the Circle Buddy for their use. This is another product that I think

could be useful in the preschool setting.

Special Thank You Gifts

2011-03-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

My parents have been through a rather challenging time.

My dad is the sole driver and he had experienced vertigo

which sidelined him from driving.

Since all of us, their kids, live far away, they were really stuck

until....some nice friends came to their rescue!

Needless to say, they needed to be thanked! and properly so!

A friend found the charm packs on Ebay for all 3 of these bags.

I put them together before my machine went into the sewing machine hospital.

Many (too many) days later, my machine was back and the quilting began!

Each one has a generous pocket!

The straps are quilted and the binding is sewn in place with a decorative stitch.

Then the bags were washed and dried last night to get that wonderfully crinkly feel!

But we could not forget the men!

I filled these tubes with cherry pits that can be frozen or

warmed in a microwave for whatever muscle

doesn't feel like working!

They went in the mail yesterday! I wish I could

be there to see my parents' faces

when they open the box.

They are among my best fans!

New and Old Material for Bags!

2011-03-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

My favorite kind of bag is taking an old fabric and blending it with new!

A friend from church gave me some fabric from projects that she knew
she was not going to complete. She was delighted to hand them off to me.
I was delighted to receive them.

Her contribution to this bag was the striped material
which is heavier than most cottons.

I was not initially going to line the bag
but did use a very lightweight linen.

The new fabric is from Hobby Lobby and I used a
lightweight fusible lining to make the band.

It turned out pretty well though I have my doubts
at times about the colors. In this picture it looks great!

This will be on sale at Katy Market Days, Saturday, March 19.

The Sewing Machine Blues!

2011-02-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

Isn't this a cute bag?

I call it a hip pocket.

My sewing machine is in the shop.

It is going to be gone for 2 to 3 weeks.

Fortunately, I have a friend who let me use her machine yesterday.

So, I have opened my Etsy shop and I am working on non-sewing projects.

Little by little and step by step.... now I am alittle closer to another goal.

Recycling Jeans with owls!

2011-02-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

My sewing machine is in the shop(horror of horrors!!!)

But, before that happened, I finished these projects and

am linking up to Sew N Tell Fridays on AmyLouWho's blog.

My daughter has lost weight in her first year of college.

My husband is currently losing weight.

And I am working on it slowly... very slowly!

What that means is that we have jeans that are not being worn

and yet have been worn enough that they really can't be passed on to someone else.

So I took them apart and cut the legs into long 6-inch wide strips.

Then, since I work at a university whose mascot is an owl, I am always collecting owl fabric.

The bags are 3 strips together and trimmed to 14 to 16 inches wide

and 34 inches long for the outside and lined with the owl finds.

I also used the owl fabric on half of the straps and that worked so well.

They weren't very bulky to sew into the bag.

Another fun project.

And...I found more jeans for $1 each!!!

I also found more owl fabric at Hancocks!

A great fabric rescue!

2011-02-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

The rescue started with a rather plain brown bag that I made awhile ago.

It was part of my first acquisition in my new life as a fabric rescuer!

Then a week ago a new friend here in Texas gave me this vest

panel of tapestry fabric. There were 2 different cats that were never

going to be worn as a vest.

But on that plain brown bag, well that is a different bag indeed!

One for the front and one for the back.

The bag looks much better

and the cats add the perfect touch!

Now that's a fun fabric rescue!

Through the years

2011-02-03T18:29:00.000-08:00

A funny and amazing discovery happened a week ago!

I tend to keep old bed pillows and cover them as fun pillows to go on the bed or roll them in a tight roll and cover for the basement couch.

This pillow was one of the extras for my daughter's bed. She had not used it in perhaps 6 years.

The colors for her last room at home in Maryland were an olive green and bright purple.

This did not fit the scheme!

So I opened the seam I had hand stitched closed to see what was underneath.

Oh, it had been along time ago in another house

(in upstate NewYork) when we had this car fabric in her funky purple room!

So I opened the seam on that one and found the flowers!

Wow, that took me back to Iowa where she was past the toddler stage and

picked out the flowers together!

Was there another layer?

Oh Yes! This is an old pillow! The Special Moments was

the choice I made for her nursery when we moved into our first home.

Her room had a rainbow already painted on the wall.

This fabric was perfect!

The fabric will get used in future projects.

The pillow was given a proper retirement!

A First in 2011!

2011-01-21T04:01:00.000-08:00

The life and times of the college music admissions worker is completely taken over with paper and auditions from December through the end of February. I can't wait to come home at the end of each work day to my sewing projects (and hubby, too, of course!) but getting them online is a completely different matter!

So, today, before the wildness of our first day of auditions begins, I want to get my latest project online!

This week my day off was spent with a friend who had some samples given to her that she was passing on to me. You know those samples of curtain or tapestry fabric on cards that come in big books!

So we created one together and then I came home and played some more!

Producing a new kind of cell phone pocket that I can start using today during the auditions. Sometimes I don't have a pocket to put my cell phone in so I will carry my pocket and be instantly available! (as long as I hear the cell phone ring ---)

It was a fun project and one went to my co-worker who had a birthday on Sunday!

Can you guess which one?

Happy sewing!

A new line for me

2011-01-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

At a craft show in December, a director of a preschool

approached me about making a long,

weighted "buddy" for her little ones

to wear and hold while they sat in Story Time.

There are weighted vests that are useful

but the cost of them is quite prohibitive.

So, with a little minor changes to

the comfort rolls that I had made for cherry pits,

the Circle Buddy was invented!

Each Buddy has some flannel, shiny and minky fabrics for fingers

to enjoy while they sit and listen to the story.

Also, I am so excited to get custom labels to add now to my products.

The next steps are copyright and pattern instructions.

This is truly satisfying work!

A wedding quilt

2011-01-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

My nephew was married in October to a beautiful
young woman and her little girl.

They are setting up their home in a house with red accents
so I went with that and added the brown and
cream from fabrics that I found at the
International Quilt Festival in Houston in November.

This is a table topper quilt.

I am beginning to fall into a pattern of sorts with wedding gifts.

I love making the table topper size and

sending 2 mismatched mugs.

When I was married (many years ago),

we received 2 mismatched mugs with this story:

In the Asian culture, female and male are distinguished

with different symbols and different sizes.

But in marriage, these 2 mismatching and

different-sized mugs represent how one will need

to lean on the other for strength.

When you drink from these mugs,

may you remember to draw

strength from each other

and protect each other.

I forgot to take a picture of the mugs I found at Pier I

but I hope they enjoy their mugs together for many, many years!