some great baby stuff tutorials

Our neighbor just had a baby recently,

so I've been having fun making up some gifts.

There are wonderful tutorials out there

for all sorts of useful baby paraphenalia,

like this Changing Pad & Pocket 

by Juliette Lanvers...

The inside is lined with soft cotton chenille,

there is an inner layer of cotton batting,

and the outside is a Laura Ashley alphabet print

which I had on hand.

The layers are quilted together,

and there is an inside pocket to hold diapers

and wipes.

When opened up, it makes a soft, padded changing

mat for baby.

~

I also made up some burp cloths using a

pattern I found at homemadebyjill...

A cloth diaper and some fabric are all

that is needed.  I sewed mine right sides

together, turned, and topstitched,

 but you can also make them leaving

the raw edges as Jill did.

I used some Joel Dewberry prints that I received in

a trade with Michelle,

who has beautiful fabrics in her Etsy shop.

It was so fun to recently meet up in person

for our exchange, and

I came away with a stack of beautiful

fabrics which I can't wait to find a use for.

~

Lastly I made an infant-sized bib

using some cotton terry cloth and

a Mickey Mouse flannel print...

...another great pattern from Chickpea Sewing,

and very easy to make.

~

Hope this gives you some ideas for the next

time you need a baby gift,

Deb
~

{btw, thanks for all the kind anniversary wishes!!}

more pillows...

This is the latest new pillow for the living room.

There's something very satisfying about taking my favorite scraps of fabric and making something useful.

For this 20 inch square pillow I cut 16 -- 5 1/2 inch squares,

joined them using 1/4 inch seams,

used a piece of white linen for the back,

and added a zipper.

Had I been thinking ahead, I should have added 1/2 inch along the edges of the squares that would be sewn to the zipper

but,

I don't think you can notice...

I love feather/down pillows, so for most cushions I make, I take an inexpensive feather & down bed pillow {which is about 19 - 20 inches wide x whatever length},

draw a line across the pillow about 20 inches down from the short, 20-inch side,

shake all the feathers down to the part of the pillow that I will be using,

and sew across the marked line.

Then I cut off the excess fabric from the unneeded pillow end,

leaving a 20" by 20" square feather cushion.

Here are two other pillows that I made before Christmas

for the leather chairs...

I bought too much of this fabric way back when, so this was a great way to use some up.

The goal is to get one more patchwork done before Spring;

we'll see....

inside blooms

February is probably my least favorite month of the year, so it is hard to believe it has seemed to fly by.

And,

despite the snowy weather we've had on & off...

Inside,

flowers are blooming...

Come fall, I bring inside most of my potted geraniums. Some spend the winter in the basement under lights, and some are put near windows upstairs. These two in my sewing room are planted in some olive oil cans.

Flowers are also blooming on two pillows I made for the living room...

I have been holding on to this fabric for over a year, unable to decide what to use it for. I realized that it would make perfect pillow covers--such a cheerful pattern seemed perfect for this gray time of winter.

I only had enough print for the cushion fronts, so I used some white linen remnants for the backs. Whenever I'm at Joann's, I search the remnant bins for discounted linen--it always comes in handy for something.

I made a few more pillows, I'll show you next time...

a productive third week of Adven

Lots of busy activity here this past week::

the house has been decorated,

just a few finishing touches left to do.

Some cookies have been baked::

chocolate covered shortbread

cherry filled crescents

peanut butter with chocolate kisses

chocolate-orange biscotti

buttercream-frosted cut-outs
&

cherry double chocolate cookies

A tree was found yesterday at a local tree farm,

and today was decorated.

{sorry, no pictures yet}

I even fit in a little time to start the long awaited

Christmas patchwork runner.

There is not much method to my madness,

I just wanted to get it started--finally!

Whether I get it finished is another story...

And, in the evening I sit and do a few rows on something for me...

{more details to follow}

Hope your holiday preparations are going smoothly!

what I've been sewing lately

A bit of 'repurposing' has been going on in the sewing room.

A couple of the flea market coffee sacks have been turned into roomy totes...

A vintage tablecloth has been made into a tote bag...

Some Waverly fabric {Hexagon} has become a handbag...

And, some Orla Kiely dish towels and placemats have been made into pouches {more in the shop}...

September begins...

Canning::

This week the tomatoes have been keeping me busy. They are not lasting well on the vine, so I picked as many as I could and have been canning some each day {plus we've been eating a lot of tomato, basil, & mozzarella salads :) }

Sewing::

I've been working with this wonderful thick nubby cotton that I found this summer at a yard sale ~ soon to be a zipper pouch and a tea cosy, but neither finished yet.

Treasure hunting::
This small vintage globe bank found for very little $ at a yard sale.

Baking::

More Paula Deen zucchini bread ~ this time with chocolate chips...also excellent. Recipe found here.

Blooming::

Sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos!

Growing::

Birdhouse gourds are growing up the chicken yard fence and providing a nice little bit of shade. Sadly the gourds are yet so tiny that I don't know if they will ever get big enough.

Crowing::

Yes, it's been determined, finally, that our little punk rocker is a rooster...

...so now we have two!

I know some of you are patiently waiting for answers to your questions--I have lots of flagged e-mails and will do my best.

Thanks for taking time out to stop by!

hanging on to summer

Can August really be almost over?... we have only just begun getting some really hot summer weather here. But the days are getting shorter, the crickets are chirping, some leaves are even starting to fall.

I have been picking blueberries upon blueberries. It has been a great year for them, and I have at least 30 pounds in the freezer. Last night I was picking more and thinking of all the smoothies we'll be drinking this winter--good news for my brain:
"In a USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity"

~ good news indeed!

As I picked I enjoyed the breeze in the pines, the birds singing, and the horses grazing nearby.

Inside, I've done a little sewing for the living room. Remember the stool covered in blue denim in front of the window...


...well the cover was fading in spots, and I found a project I knew would be perfect for it thanks to Clarice ~ an old grainsack pillow tutorial from Musings from a French Cottage...

I used a piece of inexpensive Onasburg cotton fabric and screenprinting ink that I had on hand instead of the fabric marker. I love the result and can't wait to try some pillows.

I also sewed a new cover for this little footstool with a fabric remnant I found at Ikea...

Some more painting projects are planned with the Light French Gray paint...

...which changes color with the light, sometimes more gray and sometimes this great blue...

Next up to paint {well, maybe once the floor is finished}is the green dresser in the hallway.

keeping busy

We seem to be alternating between hot sunny days and rain. The garden is doing great--we are picking lettuce, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, peppers, and loads of blueberries, which are finding their way into smoothies, pies, pancakes, and homemade yogurt w/granola.

I put on my tall boots and waded through the tall grass to check the wild blackberries earlier in the week, and they are just becoming ready to pick...

I am only finding a handful at a time so I am popping them into the freezer til they start to accumulate.

Last year I made jam; this year I can't wait to try a pie as I've never made one with blackberries before.
While I was picking berries, I had to stop to admire the scenery...

...a beautiful patch of black-eyed Susans.

Besides lots of gardening, I made some time for a little sewing and put together a couple clothespin bags...
...this one, from that vintage table runner I found at the flea market, and this one ...

from some Alexander Henry fabric I have been hoarding for just the right project. I think it will make someone's laundry day a bit more pleasant!

**Thanks for the crocheted blanket appreciation from the last post!!**

thank you!!!

Time to organize and regroup in the workroom. Most of the drawstring bags, totes, and the clothespin bag have all found new homes ~ thank you so much to all of you who have supported my little shop!! I love to create and am very thankful all these items are being put to good use...and your kind words are sincerely appreciated.

In the midst of all the sewing, my 'ice cream' chair started to feel pretty hard so I made myself a seat cushion. Some 1-inch foam I found in the basement and some barkcloth - two circles cut and sewn together - nothing fancy, but much more comfortable.
Now, back to sorting and organizing...

flea market finds

When I was at the flea market on Memorial Day I picked up a couple old wooden hangers to add to my collection. I used to cut them shorter for clothespin bags, but as my supply dwindles I can't bear to do that any more. Anyway, later after I got home and pulled them out of my bag, what I thought was a plain green hanger had this sweet painted pattern on the other side...

...it makes me happy every time I see it hanging in the laundry room.

Today is a beautiful day with the most blue skies, so I washed and hung out the coffee sacks also found at the flea market...After seeing all the great totes, pillows, and bulletin boards made from these, I grabbed up a bunch for 50 cents a piece.

And these are a few of the fabrics I found...

...a vintage green print, some quilting florals, barkcloth, a linen calendar towel, and this vintage floral on the top--my favorite...


Meanwhile, work is slowly progressing on the drawstring bags...

Maybe a shop update next week {?}...