Zip bag for Frenchy Bag.

So remember THIS bag I made my friend Kim? Well it's a pretty big bag so I'm sure a smaller zip bag for inside will be appreciated. That way she won't loose the necessaries.

So I made this today:

It has a flat bottom, I JUST learned how to do this. Thank you internet.
It's a shame this pic is blurry, but this is a flower cut out of the floral print, then fused onto the stripe, then satin stitched on with my machine in the teensiest little satin stitch.
Here is the inside view. Lined with the floral. I have to say though I thought, "hey I'll make it in the reverse colors from her bag, that way it will be cool." But it goes INSIDE the bag of course, and so it will be stripe on stripe. Good thing I used that Thrift Find lime green zipper, maybe that will help her find it in the bag. *I'm sorta kidding, the bag is large, but not so huge you can't find a zip bag*
Let's not discuss the stitching error right here on the zipper. It's the inside of the zipper on a bag that goes on the inside of a bag. Also I'm sure Kim won't mind. She's cool like that.

Oh another thing about this bag it is my first time shortening a zipper! It totally worked. You just figure out where you want it to end, stitch there a few times, NOT with your machine with a needle and thread. Stitch it closed there. Then cut a bit past there. Bam, shortened zipper. It's important knowledge for me because I bought a ton of really long zippers at the thrift store. I wasn't thinking about what I'd make with them, just liked the colors. but they are all 24+ inches! I'm not making a zipper bag that big. At least not to night.

In other news:

Me and the boys have had colds. I still have a touch, so do they, but we are feeling lots better.

Power stayed on all day today, thank heavens, If you have a touch of a fever and no power and it's hot and humid, it stinks.

Sue had to go BACK into the hospital. Apparently they tore or punctured her heart putting the pacemaker in. This was causing it to leak blood in the area around it. *I know, ewww* So apparently this is NOT uncommon! And they think it will heal on it's own, they just have to keep it drained. The idea that it's not uncommon sorta gives me a tummy ache, but I guess it's good, the mood was not one of panic when I spoke to them. Last I heard she was coming home today. I will find out the latest tomorrow. Thank you all for your continued prayers.

Robot swap sneak peeks. And a little birdie

Well I've been of with the Tropical Storm coming through and an entire day of no power, AND I had a cold. But I have stuff to share!

I'm in a Robot Swap hosted by Claire Payne. It's entirely likely that my partner might stumble upon my blog so I'm just going to post sneak peeks of what I made her.

And also this item:
I also made this today:
Why, it's a little text print birdie!
He came in the house for a bit too.
Bird pattern is found HERE. *thank you pattern designer*

My SU wish list

With the excitement of a new Stampin' Up catalog I thought I'd share my wish list, with comments


Page 100 Inspired by Nature. I LOVE this set. More than any set I've seen in a long time.
Page 163 Earth Elements watercolor crayons. I know they are not new, I just don't have them yet.

I already have the new In Colors and LOVE them. :)

Designer Series paper:
Urban Garden
Haiku
Hawaii Papaya
Washington Apple
Green Tea
Bella Rose
Ghostly Greetings
Sweet Always

Page 182 Flower Fusion Too


I won't really get ALL of those papers though. I probably won't get enough to get a hostess set. If I do I'm not sure which one to get. They are all nice, none that I MUST have though ya know? So I'll probably do a smaller order now and then make a huge order during SAB. If they have that again, they are right? Anyhow that's what I want. Inspired By Nature more than any others.

Giant Mouse

A few weeks ago while thrifting I found a mouse pattern. HERE is a post on my Thrift Finds blog about it. It's Avon and it's really old. REALLY old. 1973.

Well I finally sewed it up today. HOW CUTE IS HE? I'm totally in love. I thought he was going to be a lot smaller, but he's huge.
Here is a close up of his cute face.
Sorry the pics are not the best. I only get great pics in sunlight and we are having a tropical storm today. *It's not bad at all, just rainy and keeping me from taking great pics*

Updates:
My stepmom is still in the hospital. There were some complications with the pacemaker they installed. It should all be fine, but she is having more tests and adjustments made. So your continued prayers are appreciated. Her name is Sue if you are interested.

On the Frenchy Bag: The pattern is copyright to Amy Butler. I cannot copy it for anyone. You can buy one on Etsy and probably other places. It's a GREAT pattern and I highly recomend it. I also cannot sell bags made from it, although the idea that you want to buy a bag I made is very flattering. Amy Butler's copyright is very clear on this issue. *I also found out that MOST patterns are copyrighted to where you cannot sell things made from them* I hope you all understand.

More on the bag: I AM going to get me some of that rad octopus fabric to make one. I just have to figure out which colors I want to use. But seriously, the idea of an octopus handbag is more than I can resist.

And finally, I just found out that I need a whole new AC system. Mine is crappy and old. It's not worth repairing. So head over to the Etsy store and help mama pay for a new AC! haha *kidding about that part, you buy stuff if you wanna*

Frenchy Bag

So few weeks ago Kim *Oh look, Kim's got blog candy today!* and I were chatting online while looking at Etsy. She found THIS bag pattern that she loved. *Buy anything Sewlovefabrics has. She shipped super fast, included fabric samples and had great presentation.* I offered to sew it for her if she bought the supplies AND let me keep the pattern. She agreed. So I found some cute fabric at Hobby Lobby, which Kim liked as well and made the bag!



Here it is: There is actually a flaw here at this part, I'll show a better pic in a second.
It closes inside with a magnetic snap.

Here you can see the inner pockets. Although I'd call them more of dividers. I mean they are as big as the whole bag. See how closley those strips are lining up? It was chance. I was thrilled! Here you can see the divider pocket thingie better. So there are three inner sections.
Here is where I screwed it up. See how the stitching goes all weird at the button? I wasn't careful enough to keep the lining in place as I stitched this part. It doesn't affect the bag really though.

And there you have it! I just finished. Kim already saw it in email. If I was better at suprises I'd have mailed it but I can't wait to show it off!

Now I can't decide if I want to make this same one for me or if I want to do it with some of THESE fabrics.

Oh and the Amy Butler pattern is SUPER nice, really easy to follow.

Gnomes and Mushroom

Firs I'd like to thank my yard for sprouting a patch of mushrooms right in time to take pics of gnome crafts.

This is a little pencil bag. You could put makeup stuff, or whatever you want in there.
Inside view. It's lined with sweet yellow fabric. There is also interfacing in there because I felt this particular bag needed it.
Here is a more squareish one.
Inside view of square bag. Still has the yellow and the interfacing.
If you have a pumpkin tummied kid on hand you can use them to hold your bag by it's little loop made of ricrak.

*Stephen just said, "hey there is me and there's my little pokey button thing" while pointing out his belly button in this pic*

Today is Cute Monday!

I almost forgot. Today is Cute Monday.

I've been terribly busy this week so I don't have TONS to share, but lets get going:


The entire Tiddlywinks Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5069917
Catnip Eyeballs! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_12&listing_id=14262220
Same seller has Octopus Ware for your dog! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12618269
Mushroom Pirates http://theneedleblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/jelly-legs-jim-mushroom-petey-parrot.html
Cupcake jewelry with scent http://tinycravings.com/index.html
Softies with something to say http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-have-been-wanting-to-make-simple.html
Floral Elephant http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12812250
Wicked fun Monkey http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_3&listing_id=14375125
Wicked cute owl (same person as the monkey) http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=14295890
Red Monster Fish http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_3&listing_id=14373371
Prim Rag doll http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_7&listing_id=14370197


Also if you are ever looking for cuteness go to Cuteable she rounds up cute things every day, often more than once a day. She has pics and everything, then links where she got them, it's just adorable over there.

Also I've been using the "share" feature in google reader. So on my side bar thingie you can see the most recent 4 things I shared, then click for more and see all the stuff I love. Well not all of it, I forget to use the feature often. *me rolling my eyes at myself* But lots of fun cuteness there.

Another Lola

This Lola is the first one I'm selling in the Etsy shop. She's made entirely from fabics and stuffing I got at thrift stores. I love thrift stores. I'm calling this one "Prim Star Lola" as a nod to this fabric and how she looks a little pirm to me.

Also if you are inclined to prayer please pray for my Step-Mom Sue today. She's having heart surgery. Thanks so much.

I opened the Etsy store!

I opened my Etsy Store just now!

If you want to look it's

http://erinkcreations.etsy.com.

There are a few pouches, an octopus and a notecard set in there. I hope to add some of the dolls very soon.

Thanks everyone!

Stephen's Rabbit

I'm sure it will only be moments until Ethan ripps it. But look what Stephen made:

He brought me all these little scraps and said, "Mommy, these things are making a rabbit" I didn't see it at first so he arranged it for me. There wasn't the nose. I tried to tell him a heart makes a nice nose, but he said, "My nose isn't a heart, it's two circles, so can we make two circles for a nose" Of course we can. So I glued it all down for him.

The circle is actually from stickers from the dollar place at Michaels. Because of this all the stuff isn't sticking. After I took this picture I covered it all with tape to help it not fall apart. If I had a laminating machine I'd break it out, I think this bunny is super duper cute.

Robot X6

Look! I stamped something! On PAPER. Amazing. It's been weeks sense I stamped.

So it's a robot card. I'm sure you can see that right? The robot is by Odd Bird Planet. I love it. I started with a piece of gesso painted cardstock I made ages ago. Then I stamped the robots on with black stazon. Colored with tombow markers, embossed over that. *You can emboss tombow markers if you are working on gesso, I assume due to magic* Then brayered over the whole thing with yellow, then a bit of rasberry Vivid! ink. Wiped off some extra ink that got on my robots. I could just wipe it off because I had embossed them. Then embossed over the whole entire piece, three times. Mounted on gray, then a white card.

:) Do you like it? I really do.

Zippered Pouch

I can't remember what started it. I blame Kim or Etsy or both. But I had a hankering to make a zippered pouch. I made one earlier today based on what I SAW when I looked at the finished. That's usually how I sew. It was pretty crappy. The zipper isn't straight, but the thing is like a tube.. I'll just show you later. Anyhow it wasn't what I had in mind.

So I googled and such and found THIS awsome tutorial. It is really truly awesome. If you have ever wanted to sew a zippered pouch you must go read it, I had to print it out to be honest. Oh and it says you really do need a zipper foot. I'm gonna buy one tomorrow, but if you must sew a pouch tonight I just took the foot off my sewing machine entirely. It totally worked. I think the foot helps feed the fabric? Anyhow I just used my hands to make sure everything was going through correctly. I'm not sure if it's safe or wise to sew without a foot, so if you are wanting to be safe or wise then maybe not?

Anyhow it went exactly as she said it would. The girl is brilliant.

And here is my pouch:
Here is the inside, see how it's lined, see also how neat the zipper is and how you can't see any edges or anything? *PS black zipper because I get all my zippers at the thrift store and I had black on hand*
Here's another view of the top, where you can see that it's zipped.

I'm thrilled.

Octopus Softie

Today I made this cute Octopus Softie. I've never made anything round. The head isn't great. I was really just playing with scraps, trying to get a round shape. It needs work. But the overall Octopus is so silly that I like it.

First of all she stands, and I love that in a softie.
She has a flower on her head. *it is this detail that makes her a girl for sure*
She has a cute tummy. *although I think this is where a real octopus has it's mouth.*
She can sit on your head. *that's my super handsome husband Brian*

Introducing Emily. A very special doll.

I made this doll for my friend Terry's granddaughter, Kylie. Kylie has seen her picture and tells me that her name is Emily. Emily is earning me the new Stampin' Up! catalog. Me and Terry did a trade. It was SUPER fun to make a doll that I knew who it was going to.

Emily's "skin" is linen. I'm not thrilled with how much it tended to fray. I just double stitched everything to make up for it. :) I have a TON of linen I got to make dolls with so I will have to learn how better to work with it.
Oh and the cute little chair she is on is from my Thrift Store that I always go to. $2 and the perfect size for my dolls to sit on and get their picture taken.


In other news:
I plan to get some things onto Etsy to sell next week sometime. Happy Monsters, dolls, tote bags, maybe needle books. We shall see.
I'm also working on a Robot Swap I'm in. I have some cute ideas. Well I think they are cute anyhow.

Cute Monday

I've decided to do a feature. "Cute Monday" Every Monday I will link you to some of the cutest things I've found on the net. A lot will come from Etsy, because I stalk it like crazy. Also some from the blogs I read and love. If anyone sees something they think should be on Cute Monday you just let me know. *It can be your OWN cuteness, I don't mind*

Today I'm looking at monsters and robots mostly so that's what you will find here today.

From Etsy *which means you might can OWN these goodies!*

Crap Monster http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14096644
Robot outfit with adorable kid http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_20&listing_id=14129971
One eyed octopus http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_8&listing_id=14155227
Grave/Ghost play set http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_1&listing_id=11002577
Fluffcrobe http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13756697
Cinnamon needle felted doll http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_19&listing_id=12544752
Tea Monster http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_2&listing_id=10575406
Eye Stalk Friend http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_11&listing_id=14041026
Dragon Toy http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_15&listing_id=14023380
Lolapalooza http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_4&listing_id=13998400

And from blogs:

Pile o’ Cute http://areathriftyone.blogspot.com/2008/08/oh-so-quiet.html
Sweet mushroom pouch http://cooplet.blogspot.com/2008/08/pouchy.html
Hedgehog pincushion. http://goodygoody.typepad.com/goody_goody/2008/08/humpday-giveaway-hedgie-pincushion.html
Another Pile o’ Cute http://loobylu.com/archives/000970.htm


I hope to have a longer list next week. I only decided to do Cute Monday about an hour ago but didn't want to loose the ambition! haha.

Introducing Happy Monster

Happy Monster's special ability is that no mean monsters can be near him. He repels them totally. So if your child has a Happy Monster in their room they will not have any monsters hiding in corners, under beds or in the closet. Not a single one.

His working name was Uno, but When Stephen learned about his special abilities he said his name should be Happy Monster.

Stephen slept with him last night and told me this morning that he does work. :)

Happy's top half is yellow felt, bottom is some fun blue fabric I found. Everything is machine sewn, making him perfect for kids to play with.
Here is another shot of Stephen with Happy.
I'm going to make another one for Ethan later. Stephen has more of a monster problem than Ethan though, so I made his first. Oh and a note, working with bright yellow felt makes me think of Sponge Bob Square Pants a lot. I'm not a fan of his, so that annoyed me. I think Happy looks nothing like Spongebob though right?

The quilt is done!

I finished the baby quilt last night. I am glad I went with the lace trim, it's so sweet on the quilt.
I also made a beach tote. This was my mom's idea. We had this fabric from forever ago, like ten years ago... maybe more. Anyhow I used to work at Calico Corners and I have this fabric in 3 or 4 colorways. I bought it for my mom ages back. But her tastes have changed for home decor, she's more "Old Florida" now, instead of this "Publix Florida" look. (My own term for bright beach stuff with lots of peach.) So she suggested I make beach totes with it. Everyone loves a bright beach tote! Also the fabric, being upolstery weight is really strong for a tote. I put quilt batting in the handles so if you stuff it full to where it's heavy it will still feel ok on your sholder. *I hope*
I also did french seams on the inside. I love them, I'm going to be using them whenever it's even close to appropriate from now on.
My next beach tote will be larger with side panels. I think that will be nice for some beach go-ers.

But first I HAVE to stamp some things. I am having paper withdraw. Also I need to make a yellow haired happy faced doll. I arranged with a friend to trade a custom doll for the new Stampin' Up! catalog.

Today's sewing

Today I worked on the lace trim on the quilt. I attached it to the top part of the quilt, then I'm stitching it shut with turned edges. I'm stitching that seam twice too just to make sure it's secure. (have this vision of the lace part coming off in a loop big enough for a baby's head to get stuck in. Because I'm macabre like that) I'm not done with it, but I got bored.

So I sewed up a little lined tote. It's pretty small, I'm thinking I could put a book or a notebook and a pen in there? I'm thinking to put some reading goodies in then leave it in my car. When I find myself bored at the park with the kids I can have something to look at.
Here is the inside. Both of these fabrics were on clearance at Joannes. I think I pad $2 for both together and I still have a ton of the red. The print used exactly a fat quarter. EXACTLY.

More of the same

Purchased and added the pink border today. Got it at Joannes for just $2 a yard. I thought it went well with the vintage but cute look I have going on. The dark pink things are kittens. Awww. I'm going to put this pink on the back too. I'm going to bind it with the beige fabric.

I'm thinking for the quilting I'm gong to do cream thread and quilt around each block, not in the ditch, but around each and every block. Then do some free form qilting on the pink part. Unless that scares me too much in which case I'll do two rows of straight stitching on the pink part. Should I get/find pink thread for the pink part? I should right? I got pretty lightweight batting for it. We live in Florida and it's not like she will really use it to keep warm as much as to be a bit cozy.

What I created today.

First we have Octo-Dogs. I made two plates of this. They are catching these fish to eat. They have catsup eyes. They are stinking adorable if I do say so myself. *and I do, so that's final*
I also made this much of a quilt. This beige fabric was the only thing that even sorta went with all these other colors. I think maybe white would have been better but so many had white or whiteish backgrounds I was afraid it would look weird. Anyhow I'm going to finish it with some red I think and red or blue or black edging stuff, heck, what's that called, you know, that finishing stuff. *is it binding?* I will do the reverse side with something cheerful. I might do the actual quilting with red thread to make it pop? I dunno. It's my first quilt in a really long time. The fabric I got from Fabric Supply HERE. That link goes directly to the item I bought but look around she has lots of adorable Japanese fabrics. Also she shipped quick AND finally I wanted fabric she didn't currently have listed and she checked for me then did me a custom listing for it. So GREAT service from Fabric Supply on Etsy. Oh I'm talking about the squares of cute fabrics, the beige I got at a thrift store.
Anyhow I'm not a great quilter but it's cute in spite of it's imperfections right? I think so at least.

I also made a sun costume and a wind one for the boys for a skit we are doing for Family Home Evening. They are not amazing, I basicly sewed shirts and then drew the sun and wind then let the boys paint them. So yeah, they are a mess! haha. I got the idea for the skit from Barney, yes, the TV show. So we will put on that skit for Brian then play Hungry Hungry Hippos. Fun stuff!

And the winner is!

I'm home, the trip was awesome. I bought an alarming amount of fabric! Seriously, tons of it. :)

Ok I know you are not here to hear about my trip!

The winner, according to random.org is Connie! Comment number 2. *in case anyone wonders I only randomized 2-17 because posts one AND two were Connie, but she still won*

So Connie I need your address. My email is all over this blog but here it is again: serinone@yahoo.com.

HUGS and I hope you enjoy it.