Getting ready!

Craftin Outlaws is only a few weeks away! This will be my 5th year with the show! {Crazy, right?} It seems like just yesterday I started my little business. Five years ago, this was the very first show I ever vended. I was super sick, early pregnant with Lucian, but hadn't told anyone yet. I had no idea what to expect and felt like everyone else knew exactly what they were doing [except me]. Well, the day was amazing, I was totally hooked on getting to talk to my customers in person and the show. I've applied every year since with my fingers crossed tightly until I get my acceptance letter.

This will be my first year working the show that I'm not pregnant or nursing. YAY- I'm not going to be feeling sick or worrying when my baby will be joining me to eat. {while I love both pregnancy & nursing, it adds a small level of stress for me at shows}

I've been working hard on lots of new items for the show. I have some great new, colorful fabric prints and have expanded my organic line. Look for new items to make their debut: pillows, and coffee sleeves, in addition to all of my regular line up of bibs, blankets, boo-boo packs and accessories.

Hope to see everyone there!! Check the Outlaws website for early bird passes, {they are new this year}

Made: Monday

Pillow for grandma. I can finally start showing off a few recent gifts I've made. I've had to wait until they were actually gifted to not ruin the surprise.

These are easy and really fun to make! All you have to do is trace your children's hands, {think grade school, thanksgiving turkey style} Depending on the number of children you have , design a layout that looks nice. Ant text would work: We Love Dad, Growing like a weed, 2011... whatever you like. After deciding, I traced the hand prints, and wrote the text to a piece of fabric, cut to the size needed for the pillow. Get to embroidering. That's the fun part! Choose all one color, rainbow, cool colors, warm colors.

Once finished stitch up the pillow, stuff or add pillow form and your done! These would also looked nice with the picture frame project I wrote about a few weeks ago here.

Mermaid Pillow #2

Here's the sister to the mermaid pillow I posted recently. Blue has been my favorite color for years, but I've also been into orange lately. I used some more Heather Ross fabric here...yes, they really are my favorites I love these pillows! The pillow inserts are from old pillows we had purchased for the couch. They covers were never comfy, with scratchy material and stitching, but the new pillows are awesome. Now they are soft and comfy inside & out!

creative personality + pregnancy hormones=

I've had the sudden urge to make things the past few days...like, if I don't make something now, I will lose my mind. Haha-gotta love creative personality + pregnancy hormones!

I've been extra sleepy the past few weeks, and pregnant enough that I've took the time to actually rest rather than start 100 new projects. I have not made a single thing for a few weeks and it's caught up with me. I made a new set of pillows for the living room yesterday [I'll share this one's friend tomorrow].

I love the Heather Ross Underwater Sisters fabric. I have a few small pieces left in several of the colorways that I am hording. You can see the pink version in the quilt I posted yesterday and the blue in tomorrow's pic's. It's just so dreamy and fun. The fabric is extra soft and I love the texture. Big on texture here!

I've been working on some fun embroidered pieces also. Something relaxing to do, while I sit on the couch and "rest". I'll share those next week.

Corners of my Home

As many of you know, I LOVE Seahorses! As a child I found them so magical, and cute! AS I grew up, it never really went away. Lately I have found myself enthralled with them again.

I made this seahorse a few months ago. Originally I was going to create a security blanket for some lovely child and add it to my shop. I fell too in love with him and he now lives on my couch. His fin moves and something tiny can be placed into his pouch-if needed. And yes, my kids are always trying to think of things that "need" to be placed there-lol.



Here's a side view. I paired it with the bright and cheerful octopus print from the Heather Ross line.

Happy Friday!

After a L-O-N-G week, I was struck this afternoon with the need to create something for me. I've been putting off so many projects that I want, and started feeling uninspired to do the others. I've had plans to make a few new throw pillows for awhile. The pillows our couch came with were SO hideous! They have been stored in the attic for 2 years now. I started thinking that they would make a perfect pillow form, for some washable, removable covers.

The last time I made pillows, I cut, sewed, stuffed and sealed them....cut to a week later and the kids had food, marker and god only knows all over them. I decided then, it was the last time I make pillows that cannot be washed-for a house with 3 kids under 5!!

These are paired with upcycled sheets for backing, making the total cost only a few dollars for each!!! They only take about 15 minutes to make also [a good thing because that's about the only time I can find lately]. Below is the back of the larger pillow. When I get a chance, I'll add a few button closures.

Here is one of my brooch's shown by the new pillow and my purse.