Comissioned Works.

My cousin isn't the only who is commissioned to create things. My aunt asked me to make her some nursing cover ups. My husband thinks they should be called booby blockers. Here is the first that I made.

Made 4 in all for her. I used this site as a pattern for hooters hiders, sort of, I don't know what type of boning she used I used the only stuff I could find. By the way, I though 18" of boning was too much, I think I finally used 12-15" by the end.
I think this is the end of my crafting for money. As other people before me have figured out, hobbies aren't as fun when you aren't doing it for fun. Although my husband loves when I sell stuff for whatever reason. These weren't too bad, the worst was when I sold a clock, ahh! I hated the looming deadline over me, even though my aunt didn't give me a deadline, I still felt a looming deadline.

Garage Sale-ing

Saturday we went garage sale-ing and spent a $150. I got another sewing machine. I love old Berninas. It was $65, I'm sure it needs probably at least $70 worth of work, it probably hasn't been touch in years. We got this at an Estate Sale that's why it was so much. And an old abacus for $8, my husband wanted it, I thought it was expensive.

Post Script: I ended up selling it to a sister in law for $65

Curtains

My son's room has recently gotten its latest update. New curtains so he doesn't destroy the blinds. I had a hard time finding material I liked, Jobo immediately picked this stuff out, but I didn't know if it was too expensive. We went around the store twice trying to find something unisex but all they had was florals or dark colored stripes. I could have done the stripes if I was having a boy, but they just didn't look unisex. So we stuck with what my son liked and figured it was on sale.

Half of his room is windows. The closet takes up a whole other wall, and then the last wall has the crib next to it.

Here is a close up. I was afraid it wasn't unisex, but my husband said it was and it was a good pick. I figured it had to be, not to mention, it was the one my son wanted. Although he has been known to pick out really girly material just because it has ladybugs on it. Remember red means good bug, black means they bite you. (Now I just have to make the pillow case I didn't make 3 months ago. But first I have do the work my Aunt commissioned me to do.)

He is so happy with his new curtains! Yeah! for mommy' s sewing.

Update

Yesterday evening I asked my son what he wanted to be for Halloween, a dog, a lion, or bumble bee? He immediately he said very enthusiastically, bumble bee. Then went about singing the song.

I'm bringing home my baby bumble bee
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me
I'm bringing home my baby bumble bee -
OUCH!! It stung me!!

I sighed and said I don't want to do a bumble bee. Then right as my husband was about to kiss me, I said I've got it. I'll make the body of the costume, black and yellow striped like a bumble bee. Then make the wings like the PB bug costume. Now I've very excited. Although I do think he would be a cute dog. I don't care if my bug will be incorrect as far as entomology is concerned. I put yellow on the wings instead of orange.

Getting Girly

This is the first girl thing I've made for my baby. I got the pooh material at DI for $1, and since its blue I wanted to make it girly, so I added the pink blanket satin stuff. I found it challenging to use. I can't turn down cheap classic pooh.

It is kind of a dumb size. Its about 5 inches wider than a stupid store bought receiving blanket that is useful for nothing. I guess store bought receiving blankets are useful if the baby likes swaddling, but my first born only wanted to be swaddled for about 5 days, after that he would fight and cry until he freed himself. I figured this would be a good size to tuck in around the baby in a car seat.
This took me way too long, almost 3 hours, to only machine sew store bought binding. I had issues with the pinning, and then with the machine, and about everything else.
P.S. Turns out it was the perfect size for covering the top of a infant carseat in the winter. We used it every day we left the house, for our winter baby

A necklace from forever ago

I made this the second to last time my mom was in town. The pendant was an earring on clearance at World Market, (by the way there is one 15 minutes away from my new place, I love world market)

My mom has the other earring on a necklace, but hers is slightly different. She doesn't have green turquoise in hers, she save those for something else. I've gotten more compliments on this necklace than any other I've made. If you are thinking my necklaces are ugly don't tell me. (I was afraid the bone china beads it looked like pukka shells, I have been assured they don't.)

New Curtains a month and half ago

A month and half ago I got sick of not having my bathroom curtains not matching my outer shower curtain. I went shopping, at Bed Bath and Beyond I found table runners on clearance, I bought two, and made them into curtains, for $3 plus about 30 minutes of time.

I know my window looks way dirty. But we live on the second story, and I have no idea how to clean the outside of the window, and heck if I'm going to pay someone to clean my cheap apartment's second story windows outside.

This was the first day I put them up, so the wrinkles hadn't disappeared yet. I have to tie them back or our bathroom is pitch black 24 hours a day. I need natural moonlight in the bathroom because of pregnancy.

Close up, and a close up of my shower curtain in case you forgot. I think my bathroom looks really great now. Sort of, what I have done to it, I still have a yellow shower, and a mildewy floorboards, but I have tried to fix that.

New curtains to enjoy for a total of three months before a move.

Did I mention...

A few weeks ago my mom was at my house for two days. She was very busy during that time. I was planning to make the skirt but she made it for me, to accommodate my expanding waist line so I don't have rent.

I made this with the remaining material. I wonder if it was ok to post pictures of both, but White Elegance Website has similar pictures, so I decided it was fine. Click on the picture to see a close up of what the material looks like.

Close up of the lace and flower. I asked my husband if it was too gaudy, and he said what, its all white. So I figured it was fine.

I didn't want knee high stocking hanging out my dress, so instead we added a gusset. I love that part, it makes me feel so polished.

She also sewed the border on the blanket I made for my children. She and my aunt tied the blanket, while I thread the needles. It was like the olden days when the women all help to get the quilt done.

Finishing Projects

Remember this post. Well here is the finished product. Click to enlarge all photos.
A blanket for my children. He loves to look at all the bees.I included the pockets from the pants, its always fun to have a place for treasures or babies (somehow thats what stuff animals are called in our house). Here is the close up of the embroidery I added. We have a deal in my household, I get to blog as long as I don't put our last name. Considering my husband use to loathe blogging I figure its fair. We often sing that hymn in Family Home Evening, I thought the Ether scripture tied the other two blocks together. Not to mention back to the hymn, I do think my son sounds very very sweet when he sings songs.The back side.
Post Script the blocks are suppose to be uneven.

Baby Blanket Mania

In the last two months I have made 6 baby blankets. Which is quite a lot, I think.
It started off with Brent's best friend from high school's first born son. See the mini card, I thought it was so cute!
Next my sister asked for a second, for her 6 month old. Which I was happy to oblige a fan. Truth be known, she is the one that started this whole baby blanket thing, giving me one when I was 4 years old or so. And I still have it and use it in the summer, because it is so lightweight and soft. So she can clearly make one but she is a little busy trying to be come a doctor of educational psychology.
Next one of my sister in laws who wrote me a rousing thank you note, saying how much she has enjoyed the last 8 months of her daughters baby blanket, and how amazing it is, and amazing I am. I really like thank you notes from her she never fails to tell me I'm talented. So truly in this case since I was already making some I had to make her another one if she is going to the love the first so much. I big a fan of multiple baby blankets to make laundry easier. She didn't ask I just surprised her. I had to make her a colorful one because the email pointed out liking the colors. While my sister's blanket isn't so colorful other than the pink ties. I like black, white and small amounts pink in florals, is so Rococo. I think.These next two are suppose to be semi matching. But not the same, really just not clashing, I had a real hard time finding 4 pieces of material that matched. If they don't, don't tell me. I love the first one, both sides of the material. Really you should click on all these pictures so you can admire the material close up. I love material.
I love the first of these, but the second I think fits so many personalities of mothers I'm related to. Ok, I don't know about so many, but at least one on each side. I'll keep the personalities anonymous in case the personality itself does not agree.
This is the blanket I already mentioned. The one I made because my husband loves me so. I have recently kind of stopped putting names on the blankets. But my husband made a direct attempt to really remember the child's name so I knew that meant he really wanted a name embroidered. Its for one of his mission friend's first born son. Not to mention, I put my son's first and middle name on his blanket, and so my husband expects the same for his old mission comps but I didn't comply I never do, only my own children get middle treatment. Normally I wouldn't pick a sports theme. But I don't really know the couple that well, and I struggle find boy prints, and my husband told me to get sports. This soccer printed looked about as quilty as a sports theme could so I got it, and because they served in Chile, so of course Football is big.This is not a blanket yet. I love all three of these colors in this print. I love stars. I originally bought the blue because I thought it would be a good boy print, but since I've found all three colors, I don't know if I can give away these prints in blankets, maybe I'll have to make a blanket for me. Oh I love these! Really it is love.

Things I know

When my husband is on the phone with a friend who's wife just had a baby, and he repeatedly says the child's name over and over again. This is what I know, Two Things:

1. He is hoping I will make a baby blanket for them.
2. He thinks his wife just makes the best crafts in the world.

These are my thoughts on the situation

1. I enjoy making girl blankets they are so fun, and easy to find material for, boy blankets are a different matter (this friend had a boy)
2. I should never ever buy flannel no matter how cheap it is
3. I should never ever cut up material before I am ready to actually sew a project
4. I'm mostly flattered by the above situation
5. Especially because I do not make the best crafts in the world
   
6. Luckily for my husband my two month sabbatical on life is over
   

Fathers History

Remember how I said we have pictures to document every father's day, my husband has had, here they are:

Father Day 2007.

Father's Day 2006, remember that blog post about the stupid survey points, yes, I spent months collecting points to get my husband presents for fathers day.

Fancy pie huh, I also made him blueberry muffins that morning. Either he stopped liking them or something because he told me to stop making them.

So I guess I don't have documentation of the fathers day before our child was born, but I made him this shirt. On the back it said Brent's Baby.

Manly Bugs

I've recently started sewing again. I took a two month sabbatical. (I took a two month sabbatical from a LOT of things, including visiting teaching.) Since my sabbatical is over now I have been to JoAnns quite a bit. My son apparently is growing up and some days can be quite pleasant it the store, which I would have thought impossible last fall. A few weeks ago, he was very good in the store, and wanted some of his own material. Since I love material, I had to indulge his wants. Of course he won't always love it because he is a boy and will grow up and learn mommy is not cool, but while he does I will be indulgent. He wanted pink flowers and lady bugs, I couldn't let him do that, at the sake of sounding homophobic-- I try to teach my son gender differences. I found all types of boy material for him, basketballs, dogs, stars (probably not big boy, but was so cute, in a gender neutral way), he wanted none of it, then we found these lady bugs. This is what he wanted:

I found other cute boy stuff and he wanted the bugs, I said fine. I was actually proud they were so manly looking. They look very beetle like, not so cutesy girl. Yellow spots and everything.

He carried the material around for days. He loves it. I was going to make him a pillowcase out of it, but I'm not really sure. He seems to love it so much, a pillow case isn't that exciting. But in actuality he loves the calico pillowcases I've made for him. So he would probably love this one too, if it was in a pillowcase. Although I don't think this is actually calico.
I really have no problem at all, with him liking ladybugs as long as I don't think of that early 90s movie. I think I have found the reason he likes ladybugs so much. He has two experiences with bugs on him, remember the beetle one, didn't turn out so well for him. The other time was before beetles, with lady beetles at the beach in LA. There were lady bugs everywhere, so to see what my son would do I put them on him, he loved it. He started putting them on himself, and carrying them in his hand. I'm sure in his mind, red beetle means safe, black means danger.

My new favorite lunch

Remember the lasagna post. Well I had the noodles for the lasagna I never made, because my son opened the package for me. I realized my favorite part of lasagna is the noodles. When I was a child, I would scrape everything off and only eat the noodles. (My poor mother) So I made this for lunch:

Noodles, a little bit of sauce and a lot of cheese. It is so good, if you have my culinary tastes.
On a side note, I am loving my cheap brand vanilla ice cream these days. Its always kind of a relief when I do and don't have to spend the big bucks on dreyers.
Hmmm, this means something...

I have a dream

One day I will live somewhere with a pantry. And then this won't be in my kitchen.

I will commandeer it for my sewing. Its the same fake particle board wood color, as my desk, so they'll match great. Then maybe I could have some organization, and get rid of all my cardboard boxes full of sewing stuff.