Finally......I'm using one of my embrodiery machines

If you didn't already know I bought a used Bernina with an embroidery machine module in 2009. The Bernina machine is in top shape, the embroidery module is a gonner. So the Bernina machine is currently for sale if you know anyone looking. I would like to get $600 for it. It's a 180 Artista and is around 10 years old. (Two owners including me.) So when my locally sewing teacher said she was selling her Baby Lock embroidery machine so she could upgrade I jumped on it. I have had the machine since April and I had my first lesson this weekend. Yippee I had so much fun.

In addition I had company. Cousin Holly came down for a weekend get away. She had planned to go to a sewing retreat with her sewing group but I twisted her arm to come down and help me with my new toy. Then at the last minute it turned into a mother daughter retreat as two Mom's jumped in her suburban on the way down to Austin from Dallas. I had my lesson Friday morning and then the Mom's joined us for lunch on Friday. Then we all met back at Ann's Stitching Studio and played for the rest of the afternoon. Which was also a pleasant surprise as we didn't know she was going to open up her work space for us to stay for the afternoon. It worked out to her advantage as Mom helped sort through some of the donated charity fabric and the rest of bought some of the fabric. The money goes to charity how could we resist buying fabric for a good cause????

Long story short here are the wash rags Ann taught me how to make. I was like a little kid showing everyone what I made. Looking forward to more creations.........when I find more time.

Texas Ranger T-shirt Dress

Hello,
Sew it's been a while since I've posted. This is one of those t-shirt dresses. I made this in July at the sewing retreat for my little cousin Emma (2nd cousin). Her parents met while working at the Texas Ranger Stadium a few years ago. Over her heart is a TX Ranger emblem and then I used other t-shirts to complete the combination. I love how it turned out and according to her Grandma she wears it all the time. Love these pictures she shared with me today.

I have a button now - Woot Woot

Thanks to my super duper cousin Alisha. Would have never happened if she didn't hook me up with step by step instructions! Thx cuz!!!!

Sew I'm seriously past due on my July Sewing retreat journaling as one of my other super cousins pointed out. Sew my intent is to play catch up this weekend with some new posts. ;-)

Playing with new toys

Had a chance last Sunday to play with some of my new toys. Just now getting around to posting them. Some turned out better than others, just means I need more time to play to get it where I like it :-) At a sewing retreat this weekend so more pictures to come soon.

Vintage Vogue Stamp Set

I'm in love with the Vintage Vogue Stamp Set (from Stampin Up). I have seen several card ideas with this stamp set that are gorgeous and very creative. I can't wait to do more with these but this is the one that I did from last night. Simple layout no fancy embellishments, but I still fell in love.

University of Texas patchwork skirt, top, and flower headband

Sew I started this skirt around Christmas time. I could never seem to get motivated to finish it. I had made a cutting mistake initially and therefore couldn't make it work with the pattern. Megan Daves read the instructions and said where is the other one? I was suppose to cut 2 of a certain piece and overlooked it. Finished the skirt about 3 weeks ago along with the headband. Again just couldn't get motivated to make a shirt to go with it. I actually recall complaining about this to all who have been to the "crap/craft" room lately. Well I sat my hiney down and made the shirt today. Boppi said it was very Halloween looking. Not the response I was looking for......what does he know, he's a Minnesota fan! Needless to say I love the skirt and tested it out on this fabric because I really didn't have much use for it for anything else. The set was giving to our neighbor Mattie who is a sweetie and a cutie.

Paper covered frames for new little wee ones

These frames are covered with paper. I got this idea from Meg's recent stamp camp. Love them for a splash of color. Two girl's and a boy.

Catch Up Post

Sew.... I'm a little behind on posting, but I have been able to squeeze in a little crafting over the past few weekends, or for some projects they where started months ago. Like Emily's new overalls, she asked Santa for a new pair of overalls with hearts on them because her other ones where too small. As awful as it sounds I wasn't able to produce in time for Christmas, but here they are now, and she seems fine with it and is happy with the hearts. You can't tell very well in this photo but on the leg the pink and white polka dot is a big heart shape.
This is the backside of the overalls. Mom was genius to suggest this idea, and cousin Holly helped by doing the serged edges for me making this ruffle super easy.

This is a kid's t-shirt embroidered using the crayon technique. The pattern is from the Stampin Up digital scrapbooking cd. My friend Meg (Emily's Mom & Stampin Up Demonstrator for those of you that don't already know that) showed me how to use the digital cd to enlarge the stamps and viola now I have a multitudes of patterns for embroidery plus digital scrapbooking which I'm still intimidated by. But hey one thing at a time. The possibilities of patterns that could be used for onsie's, burping cloths, etc with these stamps/patterns is mind boggling and exciting! I was quite pleased with this first project.

Big Shot Crazy. Sew Meg and I have been dying to make time to play with the Big Shot and fabric. (Big Shot is a die cut machine offered by Stampin Up, again if you didn't already know.) Sew here are some of the out comes. Last Sunday Meg was determined to make some of the flowers for hair accessories. They require scraps, heat bond, and very little time to complete. Here are a few samples we did.

This is a dish towel that uses the oval die and then layered to resemble a flower??? This one I'm not as thrilled with. However, there are more creations we made with fabric over on Meg's site. www.iteachstamping.com

Sewing Retreat

Sew if you have read Cousin Holly's blog lately you know we escaped last weekend to a sewing retreat and I agree with Holly that we need to find time to do these more often. We have enough people in our family & friends group to book all the open spaces with our own peeps.

I'm not attaching all the pics, but I have emailed out the kodak gallery link where they are posted and made it where you are not required to log in to view them. Here are a few, mostly mine because I want to log them on the blog, duh. I actually completed several projects because I brought my UFO's.


The "finished" board. Some things didn't make it up, but this is a good sampling of some things that where made and finished.

Embroidery and then pieced together hot pads for a McCord cousin wedding gift. The embroider patterns are free Internet patterns at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacquedavis/sets/72157605615689465/ which Crafty Cherry turned me onto.

Go green bag (thanks Trish for the pattern, again!) for Holly's birthday.

Grandma's bible cover. Freehand pattern using notebook cover technique.

THE JACKET. UGGG. Long story but Grandma has FINALLY received her September birthday gift. THE JACKET.

Two doggies & a T-shirt

Here's a t-shirt I worked on recently. I have been trying to find additional ways to use embroidery because I really enjoy doing it , but how many tea towels can you have and give away? Sew I decided to go for it on a t-shirt I have seen plenty of people have done it, but was always a little timid because of how stretchy the material is. Well if you put some stability on the back of the t-shirt it's not bad at all. Sew.....I got a t-shirt and went to work. This pattern came from Sublime Stitching Hundreds of Hip Embroidery Patterns & How-To. (Love this book).

More to come on the embroidery. Got two projects going!

Sewing with the Girl's

Sew yesterday we had a sewing meeting at the house. Meg & Trish came over and we worked on notebook covers. They both completed theirs, and I have just a bit left to complete mine. I took a couple of pics. Like a duffus I forgot to take pics of their finished products. (Duh!)

P.S. Chubby, Emily, & Callie played lincoln logs for their entertainment.

T-shirt Dress (Sienna Dress Pattern)

Sew, I did get behind the machine yesterday to complete a dress for Miss Demi's b-day. I figured it was safe to post because I don't think she has the "blog bug" yet??? If so, Mom cover her eyes. This is the same dress pattern that cuz Holly posted a week or sew ago. Hoping it fits since the model is miles away.

I can't get over how easy the pattern is and how fast it makes up. I thought all the tips she gave really helped the process to go seamlessly versus figuring out these little helpers on my own. Pattern credit http://lilblueboo.blogspot.com/ (Sienna Dress).

Comfort in the Storm

While this post is not about crafting or sewing, I have a strong urge to post it.

This past Tuesday I joined a small group through our church. The leader emailed me the book we would be using and said if I could pick it up and read the 1st 2 chapters before our 1st meeting that would be ideal. The book is Believing God by Beth Moore. I was excited about the title and the author, I can hear her voice, conviction, and excitement when I read her books and can usually visualize myself with her style.

To my surprise late Thursday evening I was notified that my position was part of the most recent reduction in force. Another layoff and this time I didn't survive. I was offered some options most of which included relocating and all of which included a large pay cut. Through the 24 hours of discovering the news and securing a position in the end I felt blessed to obtain a position with out having to relocate.

Now that I survived securing a place of employment the fear of how to make ends meet and how to adjust to my new responsibilities, panic, anxiety and other emotions have reared their ugly head in my constant thoughts.

Today I started reading the book assigned to our small group instead of fast forwarding to the 1st chapter I decided to read every page including the copyright and Dewey decimal classification? Within the Introduction I found this from the author......
"I am convinced that Christ is always the initiator of matters concerning faith. (Heb. 12:2). So if I'm on target, you've neither stumbled onto this book nor accidentally found it in your hands. Christ is initiating a fresh anointing of faith in your life, Dear One." This of course brought me immediate comfort and positive emotions.

My course ahead will be bumpy I know. I know myself well enough that I will have the battle of battles in front of me to control my thoughts of fear. But I'm confident that the author was right "Christ is initiating a fresh anointing of faith in my life". May Lord give me strength to accept yet another precious gift from Him.

On the Wings of White Dove

Hello - I really liked the way this card turned out, I was struggling with completing it because you couldn't really see the dove cut out and then my friend Meg says well "how about putting some white card stock behind it?" Perfect. I'm working on the on the road so I wasn't able to travel with scissors to trim up the ribbons yet, so will do when I get home. Here's a quick look from my camera phone.