Baby Bear

Six months ago I bought about 10 yards of assorted colors of fleece. Why- because I'm crazy and wanted to make my own cloth diapers. Power to any woman who is able to execute this task and keep up with the stinky maintenance. Fleece baby hats are a far less ambitious plan for all of this fabric, but hey. Super cute right? This was the first attempt and I can only improve on the pattern. My mind is going crazy with the animal possibilities.

Rocker Romper

Cut down one of Joe's t-shirts to make an Eli romper? Yeah. I can do that.

Two years of crochet

This was therapy to make and joy to look at. More please.

Scraps are treasure

I finally finished the baby quilt I started while pregnant with Eli. I get to hold on to so many of the great fabrics I have used in so many other projects. Stipple quilting is pretty gratifying too.

I can still post stuff... right?

Hey, I've been a busy momma! I am wrestling a seven month old at the keyboard as we speak. I have been working on a few things. Here is a bag I made for a fellow momma.


I also came up with an ever important diaper clutch. It holds a pack of wipes and one diaper.

we did it!

Eli was born on October 24, 2010 at 8:21. He weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long.

Sales were slow but I do see it as an accomplishment

I had two shows to get through this month... two shows on consecutive weekends... eight months pregnant... in the rain. Yep. Both weekends were wet too. I sold about half of what I was counting on while shivering in the rain. I got through it. I didn't cry about it (much).

I did make a couple of promising business contacts. Schmitt music out of O'Fallon schmittmusiccenter.net is selling a bunch of my guitar straps.
I also made a deal with a shop in Mascoutah called Kindred Spiritz. Jana has a box full of my stuff to display and sell.

I don't regret busting ass to get ready for these shows. My booth really did look nice.

Baby shower mania

I can't believe how much people love to buy baby stuff. This works out for me because I started with a basket of stuffed animals and now my dining room is full. Joe and I are finally able to work on the baby's room this week. He is nailing down loose paneling as I type. After that I get to dust, tape and paint. Maybe I can get all of this stuff out of my dining room this weekend and move it upstairs. That is... if we don't have that pesky labor thing get in the way.

Patchy baby blanket

So sorry blog, but pregnancy plus my job at the bank really took over my life for the last six months. It took everything out of me to just get through the normal stuff- everything creative went to the wayside. Since the end of my day job is inching closer (my last day is September 7th), I am feeling anxious about everything, mostly about money but that is totally human. Single income marriages are hard to come by these days. I was able to restock the etsy shop in hopes of bring in a little and show the husband that I do care about our finances. I finally have enough energy to work on some things for the Strangefolk festival booth.

I was also able to finish a major large scale baby-related project. Unfortunately, this one is not for my baby. I made a scrap quilt for a friend at my church who had a little girl about a month ago.



This one was my first attempt at real machine quilting. I think I did alright despite some bunching and pleating on the back. If anyone has some tips on preventing that stuff, let me know.

Here we go....

Yep. Joe and I are nine weeks pregnant. We are very happy and I am very tired. I haven't made anything to show off in the last couple of weeks due to couching and nausea. I am trying to convert many of my works in progress into things for the baby. Diaper bag, baby quilt, you know the drill.

Valentines day

My Valentine's gift to Joe turned out so cute that I decided to post it. Think of me next Valentines when you are stumped on what to get your impossible to buy for musician boyfriend. There are links to my etsy shop full of guitar straps on the right side of the screen.

Love a good long weekend

Take a peek at how I am turning these pendants into necklaces. I just have a single strand of seed beads with a handful of medium sized beads to chunk it up.

Here is a really fast moving drop stitch scarf I am making for someone at my church. I started it last night and I think I will finish it today. Nice.

I am going to tease a little with this one. I am starting a project for my living room. (It's not a quilt!) You'll see.

sewing machine is still running

looking for fuzzy feelings

Winter has made me especially crabby lately. I had a huge urge to make something completely different... Different mediums, different skills, different motives. I came up with some pendants made from Rummikub tiles that Anna picked up at a yard sale. I went through some old magazines and cut tiny little pieces of everything I found remotely interesting. I arranged these bits and decoupaged them to the backs of the tiles. I let them dry over night and then sealed them with diamond glaze. I plan to glue some kind of metal loop to the back so I can string them up.

Closeups!!!!

Christmas wrap-up

Here are the rest of the bags I made for people this Christmas... most of these happened in the two weeks leading up to Christmas.

This one was made for my sister in law

This one went to my mom

The rest made up my girl Amy's order...
This was for Amy's sister

Amy gets to hang on to this one

The next two messengers were for one of her friend's little girls
panda

and koala. I never realized how weird koalas really look... check out that big nose!
Cute and weird at the same time.

Pics for Crystal!!!

Thanks to Crystal for her beautifully sizable Christmas order. I promise you I did not procrastinate. I am especially pleased the "mom" bag. Crystal's mom (like me) is a compulsive knitter. I constructed a bag with pockets for needles and notions that I am ever so jealous of. I did not skimp on the fabric quality. I love the colors!
Here ya go.

Really large Barbarella bag

The sister bag

Mom's knitting bag

interior of Mom's knitting bag

and finally the Crystal bag!!!!

Anna!

I am almost positive that Anna's family members are not frequent checkers of my blog. Knowing that, I am going to post everything so my lovely Anna can finally geek out at the sight of what I made for her Christmas orders. I love Anna. Oh yeah Anna, no sunlight equals crappy pics... this stuff looks so much better in person.

Bible verse bag side one

side two

pink themed necklace
ocean themed scarf
scarf close up