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. 

 

Something(s) I'm Looking Forward To

Remember that "30 days of blogging" list I was working on? This is day 10:

• Getting my current house packed up.
• Receiving and signing the lease for the new rental.
• Unpacking.
• Going to Ikea.
• Settling in so I can start crafting more.
• Exploring a new city.
• Visiting family.
• My first concert (Sara Bareilles & Joshua Radin).
• Harry Potter.
• The birth of my dearest friend's new baby boy.
• Having an address to mail things to. ;)
• Getting to know my fellow bloggers.

What are somethings you're looking forward to?

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.

I Heart This!

I love surprises (as long as they don't cause me to become the center of attention), and this week was full of them.

Heartsy.me

My super cool sister-in-love (we're connected by love, not just the law) posted a link to this little website on Facebook last week, and it has been feeding off my checking account ever since. It's Groupon for Etsy. Seriously, does it get any better? 

Red Vines Drawing Contest

Tuesday I found this at the bottom of my Red Vines. Apparently this snazzy little doodle won third place in the Teen: 13 to 18 entrant category. If you'd like to see more winners you can find them here, or go buy a box of these tasty treats and be surprised.

Parking Lot Carnival!

I have no idea what this is actually called, nor do I care. All I know is that for the last few years a little carnival has magically popped up in our mall parking lot, and I love it. I've only actually attended twice. (The first time my friend dissolved into tears after I convinced her to get on a ride, and this year the tot developed a carousel addiction.) I'm just happy looking at it. How much more fun would the world be if more carnivals just popped up in random places? A ton! It would be a ton more fun! :)

I hope you've made some delightful discoveries of your own lately. If not perhaps the Easter Bunny will bring you some treats this weekend. Happy Thursday!

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.

Happy Harry Potter Day!

In honor of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows being released on DVD/Blu-ray today I thought I'd share my first, but definitely not last, HP craft.

I made this a few months ago for the biggest Harry Potter fan I know (the SP are her initials). I couldn't find anything I wanted to embroider on, so I just made the tote (hence the crooked seams). Since she received it I've agreed to make something similar for a friend of hers and I'm super excited. I've never had anyone request I craft. :)

Now, go get your hands on a copy of the movie, and have a great weekend! I know I will.

Getting Back On Track & Short-term Goals

Jeezy creezy! The last two weeks have been crazy. I feel like we were in constant motion. Everything that has been simmering came to a boil all at once, and we did our best not to let anything burn (except maybe ourselves). We endured ants, exterminators, emergency vet visits, heart wrenching goodbyes, and multiple days in the car. Simultaneously we enjoyed birthday surprises (with lots of birthday cake), precious quality time with loved ones, a family bike ride through the trees, the Oregon Zoo, dinner with dear friends, and the thrilling glimpse of opportunity. It was chaotic, but definitely time well spent.

Now, after sleeping for the majority of the last three days, I feel ready to return to the land of the living and my wee little blog. I have a few ideas brewing, but for now I'll return to our regularly scheduled program (aka the 30 days) with short-term goals.

This is Day 8:

• Get the songs from Tangled out of my head. Seriously.
• Tell friends and family about this blog because so far I've been too chicken.
• Lose weight. (I have a lot to get rid of, so this is both a short and long-term goal.)
• Make the tot an Easter basket.
• Work on list of crafts!!
• Put together boxes for thredup.com.
• Work on the backyard.
• Help the hubs find a job, find a place to live, and move to Portland.
• Get my hands on more spice tea from Republic of Tea.

iPad Cover

Whoa! Two posts in one day! I have just set a personal record. ;)

Last night I finished making the hubs an iPad cover. Well, technically it's cover 2.0 because the first one I made for Valentine's Day wasn't holding up so well. Thankfully he loves me because I'm teaching myself to sew and, as is the case with most my crafting, it rarely turns out how I had envisioned.

The front.

The inside.

At the end of the day, I'm just happy it's functional. :)

*If your interested in attempting a cover of your own, I purchased the pattern from Sew Spoiled on Etsy. 

Introduce Yourself With 15 Facts.

I'm going to use a little mash-up of various "30 days of blogging" lists in order to get the 'ole blog ball rolling. This is Day 1:

• My name is Cheyloe Anderson.
• This is my third, and final, attempt at blogging.
• I am the mother of a hilarious little girl (she's two).
• I am the wife of an equally entertaining husband.
• I live in and love the state of Oregon, but I'm not fond of the Rogue Valley.
• Once upon a time I was a dancer, and I'd love to be again.
• Embroidering by hand is my new favorite hobby.
• I long for serious crafting skills.
• I find grocery shopping kind of exciting now that I've started clipping coupons.
• I am trying to be healthier.
• I recycle and try to "be green" and buy organic.
• Listening to music always put me in a better mood. 
• I hate to cook, but I love to bake.
• I don't borrow books, I prefer to buy them.
• Like every blogger, I would love to be paid to write.