Remember this stash of Heather Bailey fabric I showed you?

Well here are some of the results although I’m still making more things with it too

And these coasters out of the scraps left over.

I’m always so happy when I’ve used up a batch of fabric, a great sense of accomplishment and I can actually see my results. What I do is very rewarding and makes me very happy and I feel really blessed by that.

If you are interested in having any of these items for yourself, you can find them in our Etsy shop or click on the photos above and it’ll take you to that item in the store.

While in JoAnn’s I became enamoured with this sewing book (Making Children’s Clothes available on Amazon) on children’s clothing.

Now mind you my youngest is 16 and the smallest child I have happening around here is my 5 year old granddaughter. But so many ideas are in this book, oh and the patterns are included!

So my granddaughter just turned 5 and I made her up a few dresses as gifts, including one similar to the cover of the book. Ok, mine isn’t quite as cute.

I had a remnant just sitting around, kind of  a seersucker pink with white daisies. And yes, I love pom-pom fringe.

I also whipped up this one that is a bit more detailed and frilly with lace and princesses and castles and all things Aria loves!

I am giddy to share this article with you today. People will ask me what I do and it is so hard to explain. “Oh I doodle, then color the doodles on the computer, rearrange them, and viola…it comes out as a design for paper products.” So when I ran across this article written by Jan DiCintio, I thought, oh my God this is exactly what I do to create my artwork for paper companies (oh how I would LOVE to be creating fabric designs). Jan articulated and demonstrated it so well. Yes, this kind of stuff excites me.

From Doodling…..

To This! Go read her write-up and you’ll see what it is I do when I create too.

Her new collections are smashing and wish I could afford to buy them.

The whole collection side by side. Amazing how color changes can make each into a whole new collection. Just yummy fabric! You can purchase them here if you are interested.

You should also check out the anatomy of drawing art at Jessica Swift’s blog

Reminder:  Leave your comment this week and tell us what is your least favorite chore around your house.  Your comment will enter you in the drawing for this cute embroidered towel.

I was blessed recently to have a lady in Canada want to purchase 15 little girls aprons for favors for the guests at her daughter’s birthday party.  We worked out a special pricing for her based on using 2009 leftover fabrics and remnants to allow me to price them within her budget.  Thought you might like to see what the birthday party girls will be wearing.

This apron was especially made for the birthday girl!  I hope she loves it.

What a great idea for a gift that has so many purposes…I hope each one will wear them and remember the fun they had at the party.  And the birthday girl, well of course I had to make her’s special.  Mom said she is a girly girl so to me that meant ruffles and more ruffles, bright colors and all the trim…I hope she loves it.

It is always my prayer that the person receiving something we have made will sense the love we put into our craft of making something special and unique for them.  I hope that is especially true of these little girls aprons.

This past summer Robert and I went on a weekend trip to the Lake of the Ozarks with friends for some boating fun. We took our pillows with us. And silly me completely forgot to bring the pillows with us. So the motel got a much needed set of very nice pillows….along with my really nice pillowcases!

So this weekend I finally got around to just making me up a set of new ones. I don’t know about you but nice bed linens are really expensive.  Pretty easy and fast to throw together. Used contrasting fabric that has been sitting on my shelf since last spring. The white cotton muslin I also had on hand.

Do you have some spare fabric laying around that is collecting dust? There are great tutorials out there on making pillowcases. Lazy Girl has written a basic pillowcase tutorial that is very similar to the one I made. Lazy Girl Pillowcase Tutorial

And for the more advanced seamstress, here is a fancy, cuter than ever shabby chic pillowcase: The Lazy Organizer Pillowcase Tutorial. I think these are more for looking pretty than sleeping on

Reminder:  Leave your comment this week and tell us what is your least favorite chore around your house.  Your comment will enter you in the drawing for this cute embroidered towel.

Now the final item from my sister’s crocheting you won’t want to miss.

Everyone knows nothing makes us “ooh” and “aah” more than a precious little baby…but take a look at this adorable outfit she made…it is an “ooh” “aah” item for sure.  Can’t you just picture someone’s new baby in this for a photo shoot?  I can.

This little baby blanket and hat are also adorable…what made them very special for her was she used some of Mother’s buttons on the blanket and hat.  What a keepsake for her grandchild to have.

Carol thank you for sharing, we have so enjoyed your crafting and the stories that accompanied them.

I can fault my husband for not following directions (or specifically not following MY directions), but when I do it myself then I only have myself to be mad at. In my case I’m not talking about driving, but sewing.

Remember this beautiful fabric bundle I shared with you a little while back?

Well I started working with it this week, so excited to try a new pattern for a Mom. I’m ok with how it looks but not flabbergasted either. It just needs something.

It is a reversible apron (like getting 2 for 1). The back side uses just the pink fabric, no birdies.

The extra wide waist ties are pink and can be tied in the front or back. I’m not sure if it is “done” yet or not or if it needs something extra added. I think once I have the mother and daughter apron hanging side by side I’ll have a better idea. Feel free to give me suggestion!!!

So now I’ve moved on to the children’s apron. This is where I deviated (or chose) not to read the directions, which was rather foolish.

It is still a work in progress as I have a few seams to rip out and rework.I like the addition of pretty polka dot ribbon and bows.

So a project that I should have been able to whip out in less than 2 hours is now well within the 5 hour range. Go figure!

So next time I give my husband a hard time about following directions, perhaps I should keep my tongue in check and remember this little incident where I was really no better

If you have ever knitted then surely you can relate to this sweater and my sister, Carol’s, frustration.  I believe as you read her comments below you will no doubt laugh and maybe relate to her disappointment?  Not sure that disappointment is the right word but we will use it!  

If I were brave enough I could have modeled it for you!  It was a sight to behold and an experience I hope I don’t repeat.  At least I can say I did make myself a sweater.  lol 

My sister, Carol,  loves to create and is quite talented at many things.  She cooks, sews, knits, crochets, quilts and on and on.  Recently we were together and she was sharing some of the things she was doing so at my request she has sent me pictures and I am going to share a few with you this week.

Aren’t they just the cutest things you have ever seen….Thanks for sharing Carol….and there is much more coming.

Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.  Many of you may be aware Deb and I have an online store at CreativeChics.com. Recently she had finished up several new napkins patterns and brought them over for a photo shoot utilizing some of my dinnerware that would help pick up the colors of the napkin fabrics.

So today I don’t have a tablescape for a meal but thought you might feel a touch of spring from some of these beautiful new designs and photos.

The beautiful flower pot in these photos is another story…take an old clay pot glue some moss to the outside of the pot for a beautiful old aged look…fill it with flowers, in this case pink anemone’s and you have a marvelous arrangement that just keeps getting prettier with age.

Surely these are giving you spring fever, they sure did me….

Here are just a few others, she did a super job of getting wonderful spring colors and I can’t wait to use some of them, after all they match my dishes:)

Orange the new “hot” color…is too retro for me…. but these are beautiful.

Spring Fever, yes I have it.

How about you?

Check out all of the beautiful tablescapes at Susan’s it is time well spent.  If you like Deb’s napkins there are more at CreativeChics.com.