Re-purposed embroidered pillow

Silly me I forgot to take a before picture. But I have had a sack dress sitting in my cupboard that Mum made me back in high school. I didn't wear it much - because who knew a sack dress is rather sack-ish (she told me I wouldn't like it but I of course wouldn't listen) It was a copy of a dress I saw in Delia*s. And being the awesome Mum that she was she put all of the embroidery on it too-- in hindsight that is why the dress was so cool anyway!

So because of the embroidery I have held on to it meaning to re-purpose it for longer then I would like to say... I am getting old people... haha

So here it is-

Now a pillow. I put a ric rac trim around it because it's fun and seemed to fit the embroidery

I haven't decided yet what I am going to do with it/where it will go 

But it's fun to have it be a usable object after having it take up space for so long!

Family Tree

I ordered this pattern after Jennifer blogged about it here. I had seen her prints a few years ago and saved the picture... and then had no idea where I had found it so I was super happy to find it again and to see that she had an embroidery version out because I like it even more than the print. 

I thought it would be the perfect project for our car trip- and it was but it took considerably longer than our trip to complete... who knew traveling with a baby in the car gives you less time? 

 I went back and forth on pillow or wall hanging but pillow won out... I can always stretch it later...

 I added the green stripe for fun- after having to do it on my other pillow I have grown to like the detail.

I need to find more short term projects to do so I have more to show you!

And just because look at what this guy got a hold of yesterday. His face cracks me up it's like - DUDE have you seen this stuff?-- AMAZING! Funny but I hope he doesn't make a habit of it!

Picnic Quilt

Here it is completed! Sorry it's a little wrinkled in these pictures it has already been used a bunch... and I hadn't had a chance to clean it when I had the opportunity to take the pictures

 I am SO happy with the way it turned out-- taking the pictures was the first time I saw the back laid out and I think I might like the back more than the front! It's just so yummy and simple! So the pattern, appliqué designs are all mine... but it is all super simple stuff

 I ended up hand quilting the hole thing in loopy swirls that come out of 3 of the bee's bums- it's random and funky stitching, I probably could have kept my stitches smaller but we've been using it and it hasn't been a problem yet

 I painted on the bees stripes- the bee's were impossible to find before and now they pop out at you.

 I added embroidered detailing to the flowers.. I could have gone for days doing this but I tried to keep it simple. I ended up machine stitching my binding on- so much faster and this quilt will be through the wash so much I figured it would hold together better that way.

 And just in case you were wondering 4 grown ups, a baby and a dog fit easily

 Micah enjoyed us all being together so much that he decided to sit up on his own for the first time while we were taking the photo below

 Then Grandpa let him ride Brinkley!

So much more to show you guys!

Quilt in Progress

Well one week became two... my bad

I thought I would share more of my planning process... I had been wanting to do something with bees so the picnic quilt seemed like the perfect place

Yes I did make the gargantuan quilt more complicated... and I kicked myself the whole time I did it but it just HAD to be done this way... 

Here's a peek  of the top. Mum and I spent a good two hours pinning it in place... the whole sandwiching process is my least favorite part- even over quilting- and misery loves company so mom helped and the guys entertained us... much more fun then doing it on my own! (oh Uber undid the safety pins for us...and dad watched Micah in addition to entertaining us I don't want to forget that part- very helpful)

As for the two weeks part things just got crazy busy around here - I did in fact finish the quilt completely on Thursday and about a hundred other things... so I will be back to play catch up and show you everything next week- promise!

Box of Chocolates Garland Giveaway *and the winner is*

For full tutorial go here.

Color Book and Smelly fish

I finished Micah's Color Book. Which has been on my long term to do list forever -- it really wasn't in my plans to make it now but I had time to raid Mums scrap bags so it moved itself to the top of the list! Mum tried to show me paper piecing which is really cool... but I ended up trying to use too many different pieces and being new to the process I ended up being lazy and gave up.

Here's all of the pages before I put the book together

And here it is put together. It's turned out pretty large I think it's about 7x8" and somewhere between 2-3" thick.
I embroidered the front page for texture and hand stitched each page to the cover.
I LOVE the way the spine turned out!
The color names are freezer paper stenciled
And I tried to do something different and funky with each patchwork page
I also tried to have some sort of texture fabric on each page.

I am really happy with how it turned out... especially since I didn't start this with any sort of plan I just let it evolve as I worked on it.
So I realized yesterday that I hadn't shown you all this awesome hat Sherie knit. Micah has the coolest aunt!
I mean who doesn't need a fish eating their head?
I think the one above will go in his photo album!
And this one is Ubers favorite. He's not super steady in his bumbo seat yet his daddy's been working on it with him... don't worry he is heavily supervised when we put him in it - Micah not uber... though I do tend to supervise his dad too!

Somethings Fishy...

Another pillow completed! I actually finished this at the beginning of the week but the sun hasn't been cooperating with my schedule so today I just made due with the flash... sorry!

I am really stoked with him. I used different colors of felt on him than the last time and made him more red and blue... I am not sure which one I like more, they both strike me for different reasons. But the other one is already at it's new home so I guess it doesn't matter!

This one is done on a light blue linen and is 18x18" (I stuffed a 20" insert into him) the felt is 100% wool

I am not sure what I am going to do with him... probably keep him... but I may get a wild hair and list him in the shop to see if he sells.... and then be more then happy to keep him if he doesn't... lol.

I have been trying to wipe out old projects that have been collecting dust around the house... which means a little lack of enthusiasm around here and in turn less things completed to show you!

My older brother is flying in tonight so fair warning I might disappear for a little while...again.

This one won't die on you... I promise.

It's a Goldfish!!! And I LOVE HIM!!

He's handpainted with amazing 100% wool felt hand sewn (of course). It kills me to cut into this felt it is so beautiful. But he is totally worth it!

He's for one of my small friends. I hope he likes him...he apparently likes fish... If not I may steal him back and hope he doesn't remember...because some day he will be bigger than me! (the boy not the fish)

I am already working on another one... who knows where it will go... maybe in the shop?!

Lazy Weekend

I was at least a little productive this weekend. I made up two new patterns for felt embroidery. You will be seeing more on the pattern part of this in the future. Meanwhile these originals are up in the shop!

The barn owl- how cute is he? Seriously I would love a barn owl as a pet... if I were talking to animals at the moment... which I am not.

Happy little mushrooms.

I have a few more on the way. I need to take a break though and get some other things done... like laundry, grocery shopping and those other unnecessary things we do.

I hope everyone else's New Years were happy and uneventful!

Ready for Halloween

I'm all ready for Halloween after some quick projects with stuff I had laying around the house. Aslan got a witches hat. Which is totally cracking me up - it's HUGE! It took Uber a little while to figure out what I was doing... luckily he laughed when he realized!

After seeing Jennifer's bat garland I just had to do some for myself. It turned out really well though I wish the ribbon I found had been longer.

They're made out of felt with embroidered faces. I used a double stretchy stitch for the detailing on the wings so they crinkle and hold themselves up.

I wasn't to particular with my stitching just had fun with it.

This whole garland making thing is addictive I want to make more now!!