Le Challenge... Space

This past Sunday I had a lot of fun just sewing. I had to work part of the day, but I have also been trying really hard to include some time for the things I enjoy as well. So I sat down at the machine and decided to create.

Soon after I got started, my three year old got hurt while playing. It was just a small "boo-boo", but he wanted to cuddle and not let me sew. So after about 10 minutes of hugs and kisses and cuddles, we compromised. I told him that I would make him a pillow, so that he would have space for his head to lay while resting the "boo-boo" on his foot. He wanted Christmas themed pillows and I said YES!

Then the hubby got going on about how he still wanted an insulated bag that could carry his water bottle at the bee yard. He uses glass jars, to stay away from plastic, and wanted something that would hold them and keep them from breaking. So I started measuring the half gallon glass jug and designing a pattern for this lovely bag. It has two layers of batting and 1 layer of insul-bright on each side. I don't think that glass jar will be moving, breaking, or getting too warm anytime soon. I had some of the material that feels like a table cloth, I think it is called oil cloth or something. I used that on the inside so that if there was any condensation it wouldn't soak through the bag. He didn't want anything too girly on the outside, so we went with ninja turtles for the outer fabric. I am saving my bee prints for a quilt for the hubby. He thought the ninja turtles were pretty funny. The interior has a box shape, but I could not figure out how to get the box shape and all the batting in there for the outside. I am still trying to figure out how to do that, but the basic tote shape on the outside seems to work just fine for this first try. Now he has a space to keep his glass water bottle safe.

I wish I could have sewed all day and night. It was a great Sunday. What did you do this weekend?

These two projects are being entered into the monthly Le Challenge. There will not be a new challenge over the holidays, so be sure to check back around January 15th for a new theme.

A Grateful Heart

This week, I am so thankful for the few minutes I have found to sew. It is so hard to find the time, but I have been really trying to make sure that I get a few minutes. Sometimes it isn't even once a week, but I sure am trying. I have been planning and cutting while I work with the kids for school so that when I do get a few minutes I can just get right to it.

Here are some of my attempts and more bags. They are not perfect, but I sure am having fun. And I can't get better unless I practice. ;)

Hopefully this weekend I will get a chance to work on some gifts and a pretty purple block I am turning into another bag. Then, after Christmas, I plan to work on my first quilt. It will be for my daughter.

Beeswax Lip Balm

I am so excited about this lip balm. It is made with beeswax from the hubby's hives.

I used:

2 tbsp of coconut oil
1 1/2 tbsp of beeswax
1 tbsp shea butter
1 tbsp cocoa butter
about 25 drops peppermint essential oils

(Bought everything but the beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs. - not an affiliate link)

I used a glass measuring cup dedicated to making lip balm only to create a double boiler. Once I had it all melted I used the tiniest little funnel to pour the liquid into the tubes. I kept the pot of water warm because it is cold here and the mixture would start to solidify. Then I would just place the measuring cup back in the pot of water to make liquid again.

And it makes a ton of these little tubes. I used an Avery label (Square 2 in x 2 in), but I had to cut off just a little to make it fit. And they didn't stick very well, so I used clear packaging tape over it. Now it looks like a real lip balm and works even better than the ones at the store.

Oh my goodness, it is so good. Love the way it feels on my lips. I'm adding these to the items for sale with our honey. And it is so great to start to see my little "shop" coming together. Dreams do come true.... as long as someone decides to buy them, haha!

Today is the Day! Back to the Future

 

Oh my gosh! My hubby and I are a bunch of geeks. Last month, my hubby turns to me and says, I think today is the day that Marty McFly went to the future. So, of course, I google it to find that he actually traveled to October 21, 2015. So we have been counting down until the day. And we will be forcing our kids to watch Part II to see it happen. Oh, the fun.

Brown Mosaics

Do you remember the primary color mosaics that were being made for a giveaway over at Stitched in Color? It was so much fun. I spent way too long playing with the mosaic maker and putting fun fabrics together. I didn't win, I wasn't even a finalist, but it was still incredibly fun.

So when I saw that she has another fun mosaic contest, I dropped what I was doing to play with fabrics from the fun fabric shop, Fabric Bubb.

Here are my two brown mosaics. This was hard. I have a ton more ideas and way too many fabrics to add. Oh, if I could add more than 9....

The first one has some fun blue shades and a wanderer feel.

As I was working on that one I started to dream up fun shades of purple and pink and brown... So lovely. I never feel like these are perfect, or finished, but I just couldn't afford any more time on it.











Do you want to join in the fun? Check out all the details here at Stitched in Color.

A Grateful Heart

 

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
   1 Thessalonians 5:18

I disappear from this little blog at times because life gets crazy and sometimes there isn't much to report that I feel is worthy of reporting. We still continue to struggle, but we are making it. I am thankful for this. Maybe it is not all perfect, but that is ok. I am working hard to remind myself that some of the things I spend time worrying about really don't matter in the long run. Maybe I didn't pay a bill on time.... yes it bothers me to no end and has me worried... but a few years from now I won't even remember that bill, or bills, was a couple days late. I don't know if my health is in check and don't have the means to get it checked, but for now I am choosing the be thankful for each day the Lord provides me and my family. And I am thankful that I have the jobs that I do, that my kids are happy and healthy, that we are back in beautiful western NY for fall. I love fall in NY.

So I am choosing the be thankful and happy. I am trying really hard not to be worried and crazy. Oh if only it were easier. And I keep praying that I will know the roads/paths to take to continue to do His will. 

Are you ready for the Jo-Ann's Giveaway?

Jo-Ann's is doing some sort of crazy giveaway where you win by being the fastest. You will get notified when the giveaway will start. Then whoever is the fastest gets the big prizes. Those that log in later will earn free shipping or other types of deals.

They are giving away 100 gift cards and a bunch of other deals. Some of the gift cards are worth $100, $200 and $500. That will get you a lot of supplies for whatever crafty stuff you love.


You can sign up now to be notified when the giveaway will start and even earn ways of getting an early notification!

Another Awesome Sewing Giveaway

Have you noticed all the great giveaways this month for fabric and sewing stuff??? Gotta love National Sewing Month or whatever it is!

Here is another one that you might want to enter with $2000 in prizes.

There are 11 more days to enter.

A Grateful Heart

My sweet sister found the following ad on a facebook garage sale type of page. A photographer was selling fabric she used for backdrops.

She quickly sent it to me knowing I would be interested. It was only a couple towns over. And it was an incredibly good deal. The hubby went to pick it up while I was working. And now I have over 50 new to me yards of fabric to play with! (I have never had more than about 6 yards in the house at any one time.... so this is crazy wonderful!) Fabric is so expensive. So I am grateful that this photographer doesn't want it any more.

I have so many projects swirling around in my brain. I wish I didn't have more work to do before I sleep. I would rather be sewing.

The orange/yellow fabric almost feels like a vinyl tablecloth or something, just not as sturdy. I was thinking about sewing some reusable snack bags out of it or something. Any ideas what kind of fabric that might be and what it would be best used for?

Anything great happening in your life to be thankful for? I hope you all are doing great!

Sewing Giveaway

There is a huge giveaway going on all month for National Sewing Month. There are sewing machines, fabric thread, and tons of other stuff separated into several prize packages. If interested, check it out so-sew-easy.

A Grateful Heart

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
   1 Thessalonians 5:18

This week, I posted an ad for our raw honey on Facebook and we got our first sale. I know it is just one little sale, but I am going to celebrate it all! We had over 60 likes and tons of comments. So I even started a business page. Now I just keep praying that it might turn into more. 

What are you thankful for this week?

My First Pajama Pants

I decided that I wanted to sew my mother in law some pajama pants for her birthday. She really likes to sleep and what would be better than some nice flannel pjs made with love? To make sure I could do it, I practiced on a pair for my daughter first.

I found this lovely little video that makes the whole process really simple. And I just used pajama pants we already had. I used 2 yards of fabric for my 9 year old and elastic. I used 3 yards of fabric and elastic for the gift pair (they had to be a bit longer!).

And then I picked out some fabrics. I really wanted flannel, which depending on where you are shopping and your budget, really can limit the choices. All in all, I think I found some fun fabrics and would even like to get a few more sometime.

For my daughter, I picked this sweet dandelion print.

It is so cute and she used to have an obsession with dandelions when she was younger. So this holds a dear place in my heart. They came out pretty well. I tried to make them extra baggy in case she grows a ton and for comfort.

My daughter has got to be the only crazy kid that puts on flannel shirts on 85 degree days! But she sure is cute!

Now, for my mother in law, I really struggled choosing a fabric. I hope that I didn't pick something I like that she won't. I really have no idea. And what I came home with wasn't quite what I was picturing, but it looked lovely on the bolt and felt so soft and cuddly.

What do you all think? Will she like them?  They feel amazing. And I gotta tell ya, if she isn't gonna like 'em, I would keep 'em! They look like Christmas and summer at the same time. And they are just lovely. But it is hard to know if someone is going to think that what you picked is lovely too. I guess I will find out on Wednesday!