Crafty Tuesday–I Don’t Need No Silly Sewing Machine!

So the sewing machine is gone from it’s little corner of the dining room for a couple months now.  But that hasn’t stopped me from crafting from fabric.
It also has been no secret that moving was hard on all of us; but I’m a believer of making lemonade out of lemons. At least I try…  Along those lines, I needed to make something cute and cheery for my circa 1970’s kitchen (I am of the belief that the 70’s was  not a good decade in the way of Kitchen design… although I know there are some who love avocado green appliances). 
So to give my little 70’s apartment kitchen a little pizazz of it’s own (that doesn’t include the badly needed cabinet redux) I made more bunting flags – because they really make me happy.



Since I couldn’t sew them, I folded my fabric in half and cut triangles at the fold and then ironed double-sided fusing to the inside, I folded them over twine and ironed them again to seal them and they were ready to hang.


I love walking into the bright light of the kitchen and seeing those little fabric bunting flags hanging over the sink.



Happiness.

Redondo Beach Child Photographer | Crafty Tuesday - Only 39 More…

I had the pleasure of offering a photography based fundraiser for Harrison’s preschool this Spring (something that had been discussed with the parent committee since last year while Harrison still attended)and delivered 39 3x3 accordion books to the parents. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these little accordion books! I have three for Harrison now and I order them with a magnet closures which make them perfect for a mom or grandma to pop in her purse.



They were a HUGE hit and I plan to offer again next year.  Plus, a couple of parents have ordered additional books for family members from this year.

But… I wanted to add a little something to them, something to deliver and keep them in; but still cost effective since this was a fundraiser. I looked online and locally for a little bag to keep them in to no avail.


So what did I do?

I bought fabric in the color I liked and sewed not 10, not 27, but 39 little gift bags! 



The bags are so simple – just straight lines – I cranked them out within a couple hours including breaks.  And just in the nick of time, I might add, because  the day I started the bags the owner of my loaner sewing machine called and asked for the machine back .  Her four-year-old decided he was ready for a home-made cape! Can’t argue with that!


I guess it’s time to invest in a new sewing machine…

(sigh)

Crafty Tuesday

So a few months ago I had this eleventh hour, light bulb idea to sew gift bags for all of Harrison’s birthday party guests… not just make goodie bags; but personalize each one with the letter of their first name. Crazy. I know.

But they came out great and I only ended up with two extra. (Mainly because I didn’t want to take a chance on two people who RSVP’d “maybe”). Now I admit I am not savvy enough to come up with these on my own (let’s not forget my sewing machine woes) but I stumbled on them at Lovely by Design. And if you haven’t heard of Lovely by Design, go over and visit her (or her store) because it really is lovely.

I really wanted to make something that was reusable and personalized, something special for the day (especially since I had no control over any other aspect of a party at Chuck E Cheese) that could be used in the car or in some other way without quickly landing in the trash and off to the landfill.

 

Inside was a pencil, mini composition book, a pencil sharpener [because I can’t tell you how many pencils we received this year!], Trader Joes fruit bar and a couple other small things.  They were a hit and really fun to make!

Oh, did I mention I made 27 of these puppies!!

Happy Crafty Tuesday!

Crafty Tuesday | One Year, Nine Months and Twenty Six Days Later...

I finally finished the bird mobile!

Only to find that in the time that has lapsed we have moved and now I don't have a final home for it.

When I walked into my husband's office {a.k.a. Man Cave} eyeballing a preexisting hook in the ceiling with step stool in hand, and mobile soon after, his only response was a heavy sigh and a defeated, "I knew this was going to happen".

I think he would have warmed up to the little birds had they been Garnet and Gold in color.

then again, maybe not.



Well, at least I finished Ah project.

Finally.

Along with finishing the bunting banner for Harrison, I have also wanted to make a felt pencil roll.
[the pencil rolls are inspired by Soule Mama's book the Creative Family]

First we made one for a friend because his birthday was rapidly approaching. I decided to sew his name on with felt. It came out great (no pictures though)! Then we made Harrison's; he decorated it with some shapes and insisted on his name, too.

Only his name has eight letters and his friend's name only has four. But I obliged because frankly, I LOVE personalized and monogrammed things. He helped with sewing the first two.

 I loved these so much that I decided to make a couple more for a set of twins Harrison is friends with at school. Harrison insisted that the pencil roll for the girl had to have pink flowers because she likes pink, so he picked out a fabric and I proceeded to cut her name out and sew on the roll - that wasn't as easy as it seemed. I'm not a seamstress and it's not like sewing felt; but with a few more gray hairs and a breathing break - I got the job done! (hopefully they liked them...)

 Harrison took his pencil roll out for a test run on Fathers Day when we went out to dinner. Yup, it was perfect to have at the table while waiting for food to arrive. I'll be packing it for our trip to South Dakota later this summer.

And if that isn't enough, I whipped out one more bunting flag banner this week for a birthday party Harrison has on Saturday, I admit - I like this one better than Harrison's! I planned to personalize it but got so excited about getting the flags all cut out that I sewed them right away! Luckily, I didn't sew the tops and I could get my hand in there.

 Let me tell you - I am NOT a hand-sewer. No way, no how! It didn't relax me one bit. But I love the outcome all the same! (Too bad I don't have the light and yard of the old house to show these off in!)

Now I'll head over to Carrie's to see what craftiness she was up to this week!

Back in the Saddle Again

I took my old {beloved} sewing machine in for a repair estimate... That didn't go so well. Over $200 to fix it. No.

But...

My friend found the manual to her sewing machine {one in my collection} and after one year, two months, a bit of frustration tears, and a few adjustments later, I have finally finished a project!

I do love how the bunting flags for Harrison's room came out.

But we've moved since I started them to hang in a different room. So now I've hung them over the closet doors, I'm still deciding if I like them there or on the wall with the maps.

Of course, I love the idea of hanging them out on the patio in the warm weather, too.

Oh it's so good to sew, I love the {almost} instant gratification of a finished product in my hand. It's really... therapeutic.I turned off the computer this weekend and focused on creating things and using my hands with Harrison. It was good.

I needed the break from all the constant stimulation (well, I did listen to Carla Bruni and Patricia Kaas, but that doesn't count). Summer is almost here and I'm actually looking forward to it.

So looking forward to it.

Crushed Bliss

There I was holding a small plastic bag containing the bobbin case and foot pedal belonging to my sewing machine for the first time in years. I was ecstatic! I was finally going to finish all the projects I started with Harrison on MY machine! All I had to do was bring the machine up from the garage.

But I would have to wait a couple more days as I had priorities.

Alas finally, I had a free moment. I nervously plugged in the power cord to the machine,then the wall; I flipped the on switch and the light illuminated above the needle and foot. I cautiously became giddy.

Within seconds, Harrison was there hovering over me to see how it worked, wanting to see it sew. I found one of the unfinished projects, excited at the prospect of completion and not caring about the tread color, I sewed one straight line down an edge...

And then it stopped working. Just like that my bliss was demolished in with one tiny thread tightly stuck in the mechanics of the machine. A part that, once cleared of said thread, still refuses to turn.

I swear if there were such things as Sewing Machine gods, they would be a top of Mt. Everest, rolling around on there backs, laughing until the stomachs hurt like a bunch of freakin' hyenas. Like maybe they are trying to tell me something... Come on, throw me a bone here, I know I'm not "domestic" but can't I have one little moment of "domestic glory" in the shape of a sewing machine that allows me to actually sew for more that one minute? Is this asking too much?

Back to square one.


Seriously.

I Try

I finally cut out flags to make a bunting flag banner for Harrison.  Now if only I had a sewing machine.

Oh wait...

I have three.

Crafty (?) Tuesday

Well, tomorrow is Purim - the Jewish celebration of the book of Esther at Harrison's school. (Esther helps save the Jewish people from the evil hand of Haman.)  Harrison has been learning songs and is excited about dressing up like "Uncle Mordichi".

Only he doesn't go to school on Tuesdays; but we are going in the morning before soccer so that he can march around in the Purim parade in his handmade mask and crown.

Yup.

Three sewing machines, two weeks and one sewing needle later - I finished this freakin' craft!

If there are sewing gods out there, they are rolling on the floor laughing at me. I don't know how one person [who took AH sewing class in Jr. High and sewed on only one sewing machine her entire life and doesn't even darn socks] can have so much trouble just trying to finish one little project.

All I have to say is, thank you everyone for the fine collection of machines I have on loan.

 I'll be opening my sewing machine exhibit in early April...

Anyone else wanna loan me a machine? Maybe in this case - the fourth time is the charm.


Or maybe I should just listen to those sewing machine gods telling me to get out of the sewing room.

Just Another Crafty Tuesday

Between running around, working, taking pictures and doing some personal research, I was able to steal away to the monthly Antique Fair & Flea Market for a couple hours last weekend.

Here are the fun things I picked up.

A cute little vintage golden book that Harrison has made me read everynight I put him to bed since then. A full-color 1925 newspaper front-page that I'm going to frame for his room as I switch out some of the more "baby" pictures on the wall; I love it and so does Harrison - check out that little crab holding onto the dog's foot.

I also picked up a thick book of old sheet music for collaging and an old frame to convert into a chalk board.

I wanted it to be a magnet/chalk board but sheet metal is rather costly. Oh well,I loved how it turned out anyway.

I've already used it for important notes to myself. It works!


Oh and hey, I found the power cord to the loaner sewing machine! Now to figure out how to thread the bobbin...  
wait, did I happen to mention that I misplaced the power cord of the sewing machine lent to me by my friend who misplaced the power cord and foot peddle to my machine?

Yeah.

Ironic wasn't it?

Good thing she doesn't read my blog!

Or does she?

Crafty Tuesd, {no} Wedn {no} SCREEECH!!

I've come to a halt with sewing.

which has left the Harrison-the-Great-Designer a bit out of sorts since I can't finish sewing the other arm to his softy-robot.

what's the problem?

that bobbin ran out of thread.

I don't know how to thread that bobbin.

I don't think I like sewing machine bobbins any more.


Not that we ever had a tight relationship to begin with...


Gah!

Change.

That is the reoccurring word that keeps coming to my mind for 2009. That's the theme that I have to take on for the coming year. Ironically, resolutions are all about making changes, so really the changes that I need to make really can be counted as resolutions. But I'm not keen on resolutions, I never make them. They are more of a tradition than anything tangible in my experience.

But changes - they NEED to happen. Am I going to list them all here? Nah, that would turn into a glorified list of resolutions. Are they anything extreme? Nope. But it's the little things that add up in life - like not getting to bed before midnight on any given night, no matter how hard you try.

So I'll see what happens and maybe document it here when it happens.

On a another note, after looking at my pictures from last year, I realized that I picked up my camera to take pictures 205 days last year. I was only 160 short of 365! That means I took pictures at least twice a week, every week of 2008!

So with that, I'm going give 365 a try. Will I take a picture every day? Only time will tell...

I don't know if I'll do a weekly summary, but I added 365 it to my sidebar.

In the mean time, I've been *crafting* don't faint. I've only been taking about doing it since I started the blog.

The real breakthrough was that I finally figured out how to turn on the loaner sewing machine that was delived to me before Christmas. True story.

I couldn't even find the stinkin' on-switch! And hand stitching...forget about it! I'm horrible at it and horribly S-L-O-W. I made harrison some felt food like two years ago and haven't finished yet because I was waiting to get my sewing machine back.  And as I've said, I have it. I just don't have the power cord/foot pedal for it.

And speaking of foot pedals, did you know that {some of}these newer machines don't have a foot pedal? So I'm supposed to turn it on and off with the button I push while trying to guide my fabric and keep it from going too fast. (wildly out of control - more like!) Does anyone else have this problem?  And to ad insult to injury, I'm left handed, I keep trying to use my left hand to control the sewing machine with the button on the right.

My conclusion. If they are going to eliminate the foot pedal they better make a left-handed sewing machine. Now before you go all right-handed postal on me, I'll let you know that I use knives and scissors with my right hand and well as play guitar normally (those lefty guitarist are a little odd). I was given left-handed scissors, I still couldn't use them with my left hand. I still have them and use them - in my right hand. Apparently the grip is just shaped to be more comfortable. Whatever.

Oh yeah, what have I been making? Birds and felt strawberries, and I sewed up a felt fish finally ( I cut it out two years ago). And more birds.

I'm digging the birds.

I've made a couple more since this picture, including one for Harrison from fabrics he picked out - complete with wings.

I found the pattern here along with a cute idea for a mobile, but I think I'll do something different with those I keep (some of them are late Christmas gifts).

I only have two small problems. First, I only have three bobbins with this machine with red, blue and white thread so I'm limited on what I can sew (since I'm a maniac about color-coordination) and second, the red bobbin is about to expire.

I don't know how to thread a bobbin on this sewing machine.

(remember, it took me a month to find the power switch.)

*sigh*

Crafty Tuesday Wannabe - 'Cause I'm Just a Wannabe

A few weeks ago Harrison and I got some fabric remnants to make some softies - well a robot softie to be exact. Then I got my sewing machine back from a friend - without the pedal to make it run. So we are still in waiting mode... [After making some felt food by hand with needle and thread, I came to the conclusion that I am better off waiting for the sewing machine plug before venturing into a much larger sewing trek.

Then this cute little site caught my eye. It was the name of the site that stopped me, it's similar to Harrison's little invisible friend. that's right, it apparently stays in my closet near a hat only it's called Moogy. I have NO idea where it came from, only that one morning as we all lay in bed, the GID alseep and I half asleep, I hear Harrison's voice talking - and responding.

He says, "See I'll show you, mommy's eyes are blue..." he starts to lift my eyelid, but I open my eye. "Uh, huh." he continues, looking toward the closet. "And Daddy's eyes are green..." At that point I stop him from trying to open eyelids on the sleeping man next to us. then I ask him, "Who are your talking to?"

"Moogy" in that Duh tone that only a Toddler can achieve.

"Moogy? Where is Moogy?"

"In the closet mommy. By the hat"

I look to where he points in the hazy morning light and see an old ball cap and scarves hanging from hooks as I listen to Harrison tell me about Moogy, his friend. It seems they had been discussing eye color and ABCs this particular morning and he had to show Moogy our eyes.

Moogy has made a few appearance in the months since, but not too often, as Harrison spends less time in our bed in the mornings now.

Although this morning, as we lay there waking up slowly, Harrison raises his hand in a wave and nonchalantly throws out, "Hey Moogy."

Well all that to say, I realized Moopy & Me was a blog I had found some time ago and lost. Carly even has a book out - in Australia [dang] - that I would love to have. And she is a talented artist in the area of whimsy. And speaking of fun, check out this post, I would love to get my hands on some of those Stockmar beeswax blocks for coloring. Not gonna happen but they are nice.

In the mean time, maybe we can make a Moogy softie!


If I could just get that sewing machine power cord back...