by small means

i am so glad school is out. dave and i are both students right now and have started our winter break. as a homeschooling mom i made the decision to cancel school for the kiddies so we all could have a winter break together. we haven’t been able to go and do too much due to thisbe’s newly acquired ear pain but i do have high hopes for today and for the next two weeks.

here are a few finished projects.

the fraternal twin to the last striped blanket.

after seeing this post. i knew i needed to make some blank books for my budding authors. i didn’t sew these on a machine. i uses dmc floss and hand sewed them.

i also made a couple for me. i experimented with wonder under on paper/fabric. the results were great. if i get a moment i might make some more. these little books are a bit addicting to make.

more pics on flickr

last night after the kiddies went to bed i got going on the baby quilt. ( it was about 8:oo when i got started) as i looked up at the clock when i was finishing up the binding it was almost 10:30. i couldn’t believe the quilting and binding only took two and half hours.

 

with hubby not expected back for a few hours, i decided to get started on a journal. when that was done, i started on the diaper pouches i wanted to make for my etsy shop.

 

when all was done and cleaned up it was still before midnight. i cant believe how smoothly things went.

As I have said before my life is a little crazy. I have so little time to do any crafting. I have knit a little on another stocking but I don’t anticipate working on it at all, at least until spring break. I was able to squeeze in a little project with the Kiddies this month. It got mixed into school time. We have been making these little Valentine’s. They are filled with kisses. A friend of mine from England had made these as little gifts for the guests at her daughters wedding and I got to assist in making them. I think they are so cute. Thisbe loves to make them she wanted to do it by her self and is completely capable of doing it but I explained that I like to make things too but dont have time to do my own projects right now and would be happy if she let me help too. Magnus was let in on the fun too by cutting off pieces of tape.

Again sorry about the pic. We are working on the camera issue

It seems like my break from crafting didn’t lasted very long. I found that I need it too much, as it is a great release for me. Upon request I made these for my mom. I also have a bear and a rabbit in the works for a family reunion auction. I have been much better about my time though, making sure that my craft time doesn’t take over my whole schedule like it has in the past. It is all about balance and I just need to make sure that I dont tip the scale too often with any one thing.

I have been loving all my block swap scraps. Last night I used some of the smallest ones I saved. I am so glad I didn’t throw them out.

These are 4″ cards. The texture is great, I love the way they feel. I don’t know how to make envelopes though. I wish I did. Can you buy envelopes in random sizes or do they all come in standard ones? I’d love to make some so I guess I’ll have to start searching the internet for ways how.

 

I’ve been sketching out some new quilt ideas. I gave this one a try only on a smaller scale to see what I thought . I think I like it alot. It has a great texture and was simple to do. It was easy to cut out because it was only strips. I think that I will give this a try for a baby sized quilt if I ever find the time.

I turned this small scale one into a journal.

 

With Jess and Denyse Schmidt as inspiration I spent a few hours last night making these fun Journals. The first one (the larger one) was so much fun that I had to make another. Than knowing how much my mom loves light houses I made another. One she might enjoy.

All were made by cutting and folding a piece of cardstock to the size I wanted, than sewing fabric to it, and finally sewing in the pages. It was fun and oh so easy. All I need to do now is get some Velcro or something so I can keep the flap closed.

This one was my first attempt. While fully functional it looks a little sloppy to me

I used a zig-zag stitch on this one to sew on the fabric and I like is so much more. (I like this one the best)

My mom will love this. I had to reload the bobbin while making this one and never quite got the tension quite right again. But all in all it turned out well.

I have a few more ideas of ways to cover these so if I have a moment to spare I will probably make some more.