Sewing up a Storm

Hello,

Officially it is summer break but with the threat of rain and the cooler weather it really doesn't feel like it yet.  However, with our family vacation just days away I am really looking forward to a break.

This is a shout out to all my fellow consultants who are at Convention, bring me back some goodies?

I am sorry that I have not posted in a while it has been busy and I have been trying to finish a couple projects.  First off I am a decent seamstress.  I can get by most of the time with some directions, but I am not adventurous.  So when I purchased my fabric for the cushion cover for the window seat that my husband made for me, I was extremely hesitant about cutting into it.  I had to work up my nerve.  :)  And because of that it has taken forever.  I still need pillows and with birthdays and our vacation I am just not going to get it done this week so here is a preview of the cushion and I will post again when the whole project is all completed and picture worthy.  I found a great tutorial for the piping and the construction of the cover by Pretty Handy Girl.

Usually my sewing machine lives in the closet of my craft/scrapping room.  So when I do drag it and all the paraphernalia out I like to get a lot done.  I have been meaning to try my hand at a dress for Daughter for about a year.  I found a tutorial online by The Mother Huddle and fabric the Daughter picked out and then school started....  So while my sewing machine was out I tried it.

Just a cute little pillowcase dress from a fat quarter bundle.  It doesn't come through in the picture but Daughter liked the fabric because the butterflies are glittery.  Here is the front.

Back.  Sorry about the nosey dog in the background.

This was when I said "pose"!  She is such a Ham sometime.  Well after I had finished her dress, I actually had enough left over for a doll dress.  I had no measurements like for the kid version but I was feeling adventurous so, Daughter's American Girl Doll got a dress too.  Now, I am not happy with it completely.  It is too tight but it was a lot of work to take out the seams and "let it out". And Daughter was happy with it the way it is.

I will post again before the end of the week.  I have Father's day cards and another sewing project to share with you.

Emily

Graduation Cards.

Hello all,

I have delayed this post because I thought that I might be writing about the great bench cushion that I had finished but the stars were not in my favor and I am not done, YET!  But to keep this old blog going I thought that I would share the graduation cards that I did with my card class in May.  It was a Dads and Grads card class but I do not have pixs of the dad cards yet, But I will share my take on a pin I found for a great folded grad card.

Original post with instructions found here at Jill's Ink.  It is a great tutorial with a video.  You can follow me on pinterest to see what other things I have been thinking about.

Here is my take:

This was an actual card that was given to someone, I have made some changes but do not have pictures.  In this card I made the tassel out of embroidery floss but it is time consuming so for my workshop I had the girls make them out of grosgrain ribbon like in the tutorial.  I have attached this tassel with glue dots but in my other I have it attached with a button brad and I like the look of the brad better.

I also added the option of an envelope on the lid, but didn't use it for this card.  I found that the more accurate I was with measuring and marking for the diagonal lines the better it looked.  I was rushed making this card and it shows.  I used George Mason's colors because that is where this individual graduated from.

 
I like the uniqueness of this card and my clients really thought that they came together quickly and look sharp.  If you would like help completing a similar project please let me know.

Emily

 

Mother's Day

Sorry this is late but my mom didn't get her package until Tuesday and then it is the busiest time of the year for me.  But I thought that I would share the gifts that were given to both Grandmas for Mother's Day.  There is a short story behind this:  After we had Daughter we would give the grandparents a year in review photo book.  However, they are expensive and repetitive.  So about a year ago I decided to give them a one page layout in a frame.  Then for Christmas they each got 2 more layouts and an album.  So that they could pick a layout and replace the one in the frame and add the old one into the album.  The idea is that when the kids are all grown they will have a complete album and they can display the grandkids current pictures and will get a new layout about every 6 months.  They LOVE it!

Here are the current layouts:

 

They were both made with CTMH Chantilly and the same set of pictures.  I do not usually journal but I do add the month or season and the year.  The one above was a layout from the WOTG the one below was from the idea book.

 

I hope that your Mother's Day was as relaxing as mine.  I will try to post the project that I finished sometime this week I need pictures.

 

Emily

Teacher Appreciation Week!

Happy Friday!

It has been a very busy week... It was the first week of SOLs and it was also teacher appreciation week and with only 4! weeks left we are trying to get through all the information that is left to cover.  And although I am exhausted from the week, I had a great, GREAT, day.  I got one of my team teachers to cover my 6th block class today so that I could attend a Mother's Tea at Daughter's school.  It was the cutest thing ever and I am so glad that I made the effort to go. 

While there I finally delivered the teacher gifts that I had done for appreciation week.

Here are all 4 of them!  The pencils wouldn't fit inside so I attached to the outside with tape.

I used the Kraft container and the Dream Pop May special paper pack from CTMH.  Here is one up close.

Filled with chocolate, hand lotion and sanitizer, tic-tacs, post-its, and mini markers.

Close up of the tag.

 

You could change the theme for any occasion.  If you want to make your own just ask and I will show you how!

 

 

Emily

Dream Pop!

Well it is early May and I can't wait for the next month to pass quickly.  I have a Summer To Do List as long as my arm.  Also, this week is a very important week for many people that I know.  First it is Teacher Appreciation week and then Mother's day is on Sunday.  So not only am I excited about what goodies are in store for me but I also have to think of gifts for teachers and mothers. 

So while I have been busy crafting up these things I am not going to share them until they reach their intended recipient.  However, I will tell you that one of the gifts that I have been working on features the May Constant Campaign, Dream Pop!  This is a limited time offer for May only.  If you order $35 in products you get the Dream Pop paper for just $10!  I am really excited about this paper pack 24 sheets of patterned paper.  The ladies over at CTMH will tell you all about it.

 

Have a wonderful Day!

 

Emily

Well, we are almost there!

As you know my goal this spring was to organize and beautify my house.  We did the kids school stuff, and the kitchen counter clutter, and all the daily paperwork.  I also decided this spring that it was time to take a new look at our master bedroom.  I have wanted a window seat, well, FOREVER!!!  The idea of curling up with a good book in front of a window really sounds like heaven to me.  I had pseudo ones after college in my first apartment and in high school by pushing the bed under the window.  And then I have been making due in this house with first a bag chair on the deck and then once our office was complete there is a comfy chair in front of a window there.  However, these were sad attempts.  Well, last night dear Husband final put the finishing touches on my new window seat in my own master bedroom!!!

Now, while he may be done with it, I am not!  I need to get/make curtains, a cushion, some big fluffy pillows, and put all my books on the shelves (we built shelves in the office and I still have books in storage downstairs, I may need an intervention.  :) )  Anyway,  for those looking for ideas here is the process!

Before, but with the carpet removed and the tools laid out!

The frame!

The seat.  The middle portion of the seat opens!

One set of shelves!

Other set of shelves

Oh! The in-bench storage!

With the beginnings of trim.

Painting for DAYS!!!! I actually helped with this part.  :)

All painted with the "door holes" cut in the face.  Oh and notice the NEW blinds!

The painted cubbies (or boy cages, Just kidding!  Although I did close him in just once to see if he fit  : )  ).  Yes they do have lights in them with magnetic switches. Husband doesn't know how to do anything halfway.

And here you have the current state of the bedroom.  Got the totes at Costco for $20 for 3.  Wish it had been 4, but I am thinking of a way to make it still look symmetrical.  The doors took forever to get here and then had to be painted but I think it was worth the wait.  Now, I just need to make a decision on fabrics and find some time to sew!  I will share when it is all done but it might not be until after school is OUT!

Emily

 

Tommy Workshop

Where did the weekend go?  Wasn't yesterday Friday?

It seems that I get out of school on Friday afternoon and I wake up the next morning and it is Monday already!  Too much to do!  However, in-between ballet and shopping for the week, Mother's day workshop with some wonderful ladies and cleaning the house, I did get the layouts for Friday's Tommy Scrapping Workshop done.  I decided to change things up and went for a boyish feel instead of the nautical theme that the papers are geared for.  And while these pages are missing pics and titles, I think that I have been successful in my endeavor.  Now for the reveal:

Layout 1 (the Alternative Page from the WOTG)

 

Layout 2 ( Tommy Studio J layout from the Spring 2013 Idea Book)

 

Layout 3 (Tommy paper pack Layout from the Spring 2013 Idea Book)

 

I hope that your weekend seemed longer than mine and that you were as productive as you wanted or needed to be!

 

On a side note, I am working on Mother's day layout pages for the Grandmas.  I will post pictures after the grandmas have opened their presents!

 

Emily