Handmade Monday: sweatshirt

I'm as surprised as you are to see this banner again (assuming you're surprised). The sad thing is today's featured project is one from last winter(?), so I could have posted it at any time. I'm just going to continue and blame my lame blogging on my double relocation and the fact that our computer is in our spare/storage room, if that's alright with you. Next week, however, this feature should be brand new because I'm so far behind on projects it's ridiculous.

For some reason almost every embroidery pattern I have screams "make this for your sister-in-love!" at me. I have so many things I want to make her that if I actually complete them all her and my brother will be up to their eyeballs in stitches. Earlier this year I grabbed this little pattern from over at Sublime Stitching, and decided she needed a sweatshirt of all things. In retrospect this clearly should have been on a pillow or the corner of a blanket. Live and learn. 

 

Moving

A little over a month ago we pulled out of our driveway in Southern Oregon and headed north. This was a dream and plan we'd had for years and it was finally coming true, but at first it was really hard to be excited. I was taken off guard by how much I was reluctant to leave behind. I knew I'd miss my mom, my friends and my home, but it's shocking the things you grow attached to. Who knew I'd be heartbroken to move away from my pediatrician?

The thing I miss most though is my little abode. We own our home in Central Point, and even though we bought it knowing we'd never stay, and it certainly isn't our dream house, I still love and miss it.

For the first three weeks I wanted to my house back so badly it hurt. The place we had lined up to rent turned out to be a bit of a nightmare. The bedrooms upstairs were creepier than we remembered and I was reluctant to put ELA to bed every night (crazy old house not remodeled very well after all). Our bed frame couldn't fit up the staircase, so we just had our mattress on the floor. None of our furniture really fit because it was smaller than we'd realized, and the washer smelled like mold. 

Then, during our first 48 hours in that house, it became obvious we couldn't stay. Both ELA and I were suffering massive asthma issues, but only while in the house, and our financial situation tightened up a bit. We spent the next few weeks trying to find somewhere new (with the only internet access being on our phones!).

Fortunately a little duplex popped up just in time. I'm not crazy about sharing walls, but I've done it before and it's not forever. :)

We still haven't fully unpacked, but we're definitely getting starting to get settled. Eventually I'll even set up my craft area and Handmade Monday will return. What a thought!

Handmade Monday: camera case

My excuse for being late is this ... I am moving in five days, not just from one home to another, but from the bottom of my state to the top. Since I have yet to pack up my current house, or sign a lease on a new one, my life is a bit disorganized. I hope you'll forgive me.

On a craftier note, here is the case I made to go with the spiffy new camera I bought my mom for her birthday. I only had a few hours to construct it, so it's kinda sloppy, but it works. :)

Camera Case:

Since I failed to center the word smile, I had to throw an "s" on the end. Oh well, at least it was handmade. Right?

Handmade Monday: grandma's pillowcase

I have been a terrible blogger lately because life has been horribly hectic. My goal is to get a post or two up this week to bring my small, but oh so special, handful of readers up to speed. Until then, here's some of my embroidery since it's still Monday here in Oregon.

Pillowcase for Grandma:

Thanks for sticking with me! <3

Handmade Monday: seat belt covers

When we ventured over to the coast a few weekends ago ELA got horribly I-had-nightmares-about-it carsick. During the cleanup one of the seat belt covers that help ensure she's comfy while confined disappeared. After one failed attempt, and a handful of curse words, I made her some new ones.

seat belt covers: 

 

I forgot to take pictures of the inside, and I'm too lazy to go grab them, but they're white. Just in case you were curious. :)

Handmade Monday: scotty dog

Last night I was working on a project that I had intended to use for today's post, but it took a very ugly turn and found itself relocated to my trashcan. I had planned to give it another go today (actually I still do), but it's just not going to be presentable in time. Fortunately I've taken pictures of past projects like this scotty dog. This little bag is pretty much the only thing I can sew right now.

Scotty dog/Zippered bag:

I currently have about a million little scraps of fabric cut for these bags and not very many people left to make them for. Oops. :)

Hope everyone has a good week!

Handmade Monday: Momma's Day Edition

A little over a decade ago I started making my momma gifts for Mother's Day, and the tradition has carried over into my own little family unit. Since the tot is only two the hubs has been doing the majority of the work thus far and she "helps". Here's what a received this year ...

Card:

Charms (& the back of the card):

It says, "I've got some mad photoshop skills."

Sorry this post is almost late. We just returned from our blissful little beach getaway (which I'll probably be blogging about later).<3

Handmade Monday: owl apron

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a decent weekend. Here in Oregon we had our first real dose of warm spring sunshine, so I spent it hitting garage sales, weeding, barbecuing, and getting a sunburn. :P

Today's project is actually one from quite a few months ago because my current one is taking for-ev-er and my workspace is too messy to start anything new. 

An owl apron:

This was a gift for my aunt's birthday last September, and is actually one of my first (if not the first) embroidery pieces. It was done on one of those horrible stiff aprons from the craft store because I was a naive little crafter in the beginning. I hadn't even considering learning to sew yet, and I didn't realize you can stitch on almost anything you can poke a needle through. Live and learn. :)

Sunshine is predicted for the at least the next five days, but I'll probably be hiding indoors nursing my tomato red neck. Perhaps I'll get organized and get some stuff made. What fun things do you have planned this week?  

Handmade Monday: easter basket

 

These adorable little baskets caught my attention while strolling through the holiday goodies in Target recently.

I was super tempted to scoop one up for ELA, but I found the idea of attempting one of my own even more enticing. Unfortunately, when I went searching for supplies, I couldn't locate the necessary stiff felt, so I had to come up with a slightly different approach. 

About halfway through, when it was still miles away from anything functional, I began to question both my stradegy and skills.

Determination coated in frustration pushed me forward (I refused to let a pile of felt win!), and I'm actually quite delighted with the finished product. Here is ELA's new Easter basket:

Front

Side 1

Side 2

Back

Basket in action.

Obviously she made out pretty well in the sugar department. How did you do? I hope you received at least a treat or two to help fuel you through this Monday.

Handmade Monday: sunglass case

Last month, before we were enveloped in the two week tornado, I thought I'd throw a few quick crafts onto the overflowing to-do list. Honestly, I don't know who I was kidding. Being a self-taught beginner and a procrastinator = a slooow crafter. Since time wasn't on my side this little project will need to be redone, but it's working pretty well in the meantime.

Here is my sunglass case:

Happy Monday!

*The bead I used for the closure was made by the hubs who does lamp working as a hobby.

Handmade Monday: cupcakes

Recently, someone very dear to me gave me some blogging advice. Even though I can't remember her verbiage to save my life right now, the main idea was to create a piece, or two, to post on specific days of the week in order to get into the habit. Since she has two famous features of her own (check out Obsessed and Nerd News), I would be a fool not to listen to her. ;) So, without further ado ...

WELCOME to the first edition of Handmade Monday! Here I hope to post some of my creations. The guidelines here are pretty loose. Basically, if I made it myself, it counts. While I intend for the bulk of these to fall under the craft department, they may wander off track just a bit. I'm cheating a little today because I spent the majority of the evening creating banners for my various "pieces" (but since I've yet to tell anyone of this blog's existence I think I'm okay).

These are devils food cupcakes with buttercream frosting. Everything came from a box, but I did mix it by hand. Watch out Betty Crocker! My original plan was for lavender frosting with green sprinkles (Christmas leftovers), but the frosting started to turn grey so I panicked and decided to make it blue. Luckily the red sprinkles (also left over from the holidays) coordinated pretty well. 

I'm not sure if baking is a hobby, or just a result of my sweet tooth, but I do it fairly regularly either way. I've only baked one cake from scratch, and hated all the work, but here is a lady that has some magical cupcake skills if you'd like to feel inspired (or need a visual sugar fix).