It's been busy around here again, but I wanted you to see what I will be doing tonite. First, dinner at Bistro 33 in El dorado Hills, CA. Then I get to listen to my husband, "guest perform" in my Son's band, Halfway Gone. This is from a performance last week on my husband's birthday. It was so much fun watching them play together! But, alas, I have to work the rest of the weekend. I'm tired already.....



Hope you all have a great weekend!

While I'm waiting.......

A new customer should be getting her lunch bag in the mail today. If she likes it, hopefully I will have an order for 8 more to give to her bridesmaids! Keeping my fingers crossed. The fabric was very important to her, so we shall see...
In the mean time, I've been trying to play a little catch up in my Etsy and Artfire shop.

This can be reversed to

This!

Tall lunch tote or wine bag

not quite finished..

I put the first two in my shop today, the rest will have to wait till later this week. I'm starving!!! Off to figure out dinner....

A Garden View -The Birds and the Bees....

Today's garden view is for the bird lovers out there! I love feeding birds and enjoy watching them, something my dad Bill and I loved doing while drinking our morning coffee out on the deck. I was so lucky to catch these shots of an evasion of my recently cleaned and filled birdbath. (Glad I got around to that)! There were a gazillion more in the tree above too!

 Throw in a little butterfly and a bee and enjoy the tour!
Here's to you Dad! wish we could share our coffee time again!

Felt Alphabet Tutorial and Featured Artist - Evgie!

As you may know, my grandson just turned 1 year old.

Alex loving his letters!

So of course, being a crafter and sewer, I decided I HAD to make him his gifts! I love pa-rousing the internet, especially Etsy for great ideas that I can recreate into my own version. I was so inspired by these wonderful felt alphabets in Evie's Shop that I wanted to try my own. This is my take on a set of felt alphabet letters:

my version

First, choose a font and size you want to use. I used Gill Sans Ultra Bold, size 340 in a Publisher program. Print out each letter, cut out and trace onto 3 layers of felt, using a disappearing fabric pen.

the letter "I"

I tried cutting the felt at this point, but I had a hard time sewing it and keeping the layers lined up, so I decided to sew it together first, and then cut it out, like this:

You can hardly see the tracing line in this pic, but it is there! 

Using a decorative stitch on your machine, sew the 3 layers together, along the traced letter line.

sewn letter "L"

Now cut out as close and neat as you can around the letter.

Voila!!

Now, for the bad news, it took about 3 days to make these, then, when I thought I was done and layed them all out, I found I was missing about 5 letters, (dah) and it took a few more hours to finish them. The good news is, if you like this idea and don't want to make them, you can purchase them here: evgie !   She has the most beautiful, felt alphabets, clocks, (yes, felt clocks!) mobiles and wall art, and more, all hand embroidered, made with eco friendly felt and perfect! I asked her if it would be ok to do my tutorial, and she graciously agreed. Thank you, Evgie!! Make sure you visit her shop, you will find the perfect gift for the special child in your life!!
A side note: I SKYPed with Alex last nite, and he LOVED the letters! He picked them up, inspected them, waved them around, threw them, picked up more. Again and again. It was great!! They are 1 year old approved!

(Note: all links to Evgie's shop by permission of Evgie)

Alex is 1 year old Today!!!!

Seems like just yesterday we were awaiting the arrival of my first grandchild! Now he is one year old!! He has been a HUGE joy in my life. I have loved every minute of time I get to spend with him, even if it is just on Skype. (I don't know what I would do without that). Tonite we will share birthday cake over the internet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY my sweet little grandson!!!!

I have been working like a crazy grandma, making a few things for Alex's birthday. Here they are:

Felt alphabet letters - tutorial coming!

finger puppets - I forgot a pic of Elmo!

And a picture album!

I was in such a hurry to get this stuff in the mail on time, I forgot to take a few pictures. I made an alphabet, drawstring bag to store the letters in, and a finger puppet of Elmo! It was so much fun...I hope you enjoyed Alex's first birthday!!! Grandma Loves you, baby!!! Thank you, Cori and Jacob, for the best gift EVER!!!!!

Fabric Flower Fun!

This one is sold!

(Diana's "first" birthday gift - Happy Birthday!!)

I must say, making these flower hair clips and pins are my new favorite thing! I scored a ton of odds and end jewels and charms to add to these from my friend, and can't wait to use them. I need to start adding them to my stores! Last week, I also made this clutch to a co-worker! I almost forgot why I've been so busy...

In a few days I will show you my Grandson's gifts and a tutorial. See you then!

A Garden View

It has been a beautiful, warm week here in Sacramento! We have had a cold and rainy spring, so far, and looks like we are going to be back at it next week, AGAIN! In the mean time, flowers are bursting into bloom!

Azalea

Lilac

Unfortunately, so are the weeds!!

I might need a chain saw for this one!
It's been a crazy, busy two weeks around here. Hopefully next week I can show you what I've been doing and maybe even a tutorial. Until then, have a great weekend!