Lace Jewelry

I made Lace jewelry by Anita Goodesign today. I actually made two sets. On each set was six items per hooping to save on stabilizer. Because I have two sets of barrettes on each one the second set I stitched out in a different color combo. So now I have a red and Pink hearts set and a purple heart set, then I made the red and blue geometric pattern and then a green hued set. Tomorrow I will glue them to the barrette backs. I was hoping that my order of Croc Jibbitz (blank ones to decorate) would come today. I want to use some of the barrettes to decorate my shoes. I have these slip on Crocs with just the toe part, but the shoes had on a stupid bow. When I cut off the bow there was a gap. I added a metal flower shaped shank button, but the pin back that I used keeps popping open and stabbing me, I have gotten runs in my nylons at bad times, because of the pin. The embroidery took 5 hours, for both sets. I can do other stuff, but you have to stop and change thread color then start again. I know I decided you had to see the shoes to understand. My weird shoes. I liked Crocs so much I bought stock in the company. I can't even look at the Internet to see how much my stock is worth now.

grotty shoes

I told you that I would show you the eyeglass case from a pot holder I made. I liked the maroon and gold tone. I only had one potholder, so it was sacrificed to the sewing recycling.

I also sewed another pouch/wristlet, to demonstrate the pinching the zipper for the Bag lady of Hackensack I met on Tuesday. We've been emailing. She sent me a link to a boxed bag tutorial. I need to make a boxed bag for my shoes for my luggage. I hate dirty shoes in with my clean clothes. I'll finish the butterfly wristlet bag tomorrow.

I have laid out the embroidery for tomorrow as well. All I have to do is spray the sulky sticky to my towel and load my design. A friend wants me to embroider pine cones on hand towels for her guest bathroom. I'm going to do a few so she can pick the design she likes. I chopped up an old hand towel to use as samples. I hate when towels get all raggy.

I like it, I got an email from a lady at church about embroidering something for her sister's new baby. I also got asked about digitizing a logo for another lady at church. I need to write out my Art Release form. I want to be able to use the image again, or to use it in my advertising of my work.

Fonts & Letters

I took a class on adding fonts and manipulating fonts in my embroidery software. I had a good time. We kept getting distracted, but that was fun too. There were two students (including me) and the teacher. I learned how to adjust the density and how to make my own applique fonts. I can even delete fonts that need underlay fixing so I can start over. I have two fonts that I need to delete and start over. She showed us how to use pictogram type fonts to make small flowers and leaves. After class I showed the teacher how to add fonts to the windows/font folder. This allows you to download free fonts from the Internet. I also gave away a few business cards, because I complimented a woman on her handbag. She smiled and said she made it the mini Miranda bag. I showed her my wristlet and she wanted the pattern so I gave her my card and the name of the blog I got the pattern from, Heart of Mary (linked to the right).


The shop was having an Anita Goodesign trunk show. I want to join the Diamond club, but it's expensive. There are so many designs that I'm not in too.


I went shopping yesterday and hit the thrift stores in town. I found a bunch of place mats and a couple of tablecloths. I also found some great napkins and handkerchiefs. I came home and started to launder everything. I am of the belief that you need to launder your purchases. I like to get rid of any smoke smell, old stains, and just know that any chemicals are gone. I can't believe that I haven't sewn in three days. I found this small pot holder in my kitchen drawer that will make a great eye glass case. I will post pictures of the completed case tomorrow.

Tonight before I go to the ladies activity at church I'm going to play with my fonts and make my own applique font to try tomorrow. Sigh, tomorrow is crazy Weds. I'm ready to be done with the neon purple nail polish. I did like the shorter length of my nails this week. Then after nails, it's the family history center, then a farewell dinner. SIGH

Low-Sew Boutique

I got a new book called Low Sew boutique, by Cheryl Weiderspahn from Homestead Specialties. In this great book, Cheryl used home linens to make purses, bags and things. I love how she uses place mats to make a simple elegant clutch purse. I thought I was the smart one and invented this idea a year ago. But No, not my luck. I made a couple of organizers for all my cords in my laptop backpack/bag. I switch back and forth from my backpack to the tote bag.

I found these nice green place mats at the Dollar Tree. But they only had two. So a simple fold and sew up a couple pockets. The one on the left holds my power cord with the power brick, the place mat was folded mitered end to mitered end-ish . The two pictures on the right are an outside and inside shot of my misc cord controller. I have an network cord, a cord for my camera, an USB extension cord and a cord to connect my iPod to a car stereo. I just folded the place mat, pressed it and marked different size pockets for the different cords, then opened it up and sewed on a piece of Velcro, the attached the other half of the Velcro to a piece of matching ribbon, the sewed the ribbon in the seam and sewed all the pockets with a strong triple stitch. Waa Laa.

I found the book on Nancy's Notions in the clearance books. I've used my hardware store to find snap key rings, but Cheryl used kitchen door/dresser drawer handles as handles in the book, how cute is that. I liked that she points out that the screws that come with the handle are going to be too long and she tells you which ones to get and don't forget to grab a metal bracket for the back to reinforce the handle sandwiching the fabric between the handle and the bracket.

So today I had to go to Target and get something I forgot in the bridal baby shower frenzy of this weekend. I checked out the place mats. I liked a few, but I'm the recycle kinda girl. I'll check the thrift stores in town next week and my linen closet first. I also made two more of these type organizers for a friend she uses one as a makeup brush case. She picked the deep burgundy red ones. I did no sewing today, because it's bills paying day and wrapping presents day.

So if you are looking for a quick gift to whip up this book is for you. I want to make the shoe case for my luggage. Anyway back to Target, they have the discount bins at the front of the store with kiddy stuff. One of the bins had cheap dog leashes. I thought they were a dollar, but they turned out to be 50 cents. Score. The leashes had on them the small snap key rings, minus the key ring part, but I have a ton of key rings. I bought 5, but I think I need to go back and clean of the bin. The Dollar Tree also had these type leashes and collars. When I buy the snap key rings they run me 2.50 to 3.00 each. The ones I used for the luggage tags where way to big for the wristlets. The leash part will make good straps for the kid messenger bags I want to make for the grandkids.

I also got mail today - three patterns from one of the quilt places in Vegas. I called and ordered stuff over the phone. I got the pattern for the Quilter's Go & Sew wallet like organiser. Plus I scored two applique wall hangings/quilt designs by Needlesongs. I got the Dragon in the Wind and the Pirate Skull. I should have ordered the Princess one too. One grandson and three granddaughters. I think I can down size the pirate skull for the messenger bag for Halloween. I can always us a coloring book princess design for the girls. Hmmmm

gift giving

Yes my picture is on it's side, it's too late at night to fuss with it. I really liked the straps with the snap hooks. This bag is perfect to throw my sketch pad and drawing tools in on the way out the door or to take my notebooks to class in with extra pencils and my wallet in one of the six pockets. I finished my version of the pick a pocket tote, from Quilts and More magazine. My version doesn't have the bulky seam in the bottom. Just the small lining seam. I will post the tutorial later this week. I need to make another one to match the text I wrote as I went alone. Plus a friend asked if I would save the last of this blue green fabric on the pockets for a special order for her grandmother for her birthday. I like special orders. So maybe another in pink, or bright yellow flower fabric from the 70s. I don't know why I even bought it. Maybe for experiments.

I have been sewing up a small storm sewing gifts. 2 weddings and a shower. (wait is that a movie?) I embroidered a copy of the temple for the young couple from church, their reception is on Friday. I digitized the cruise ship for the couple from the Hubby's office who got married on a cruise ship on 14 Feb. Yes 14 Feb. I did press the embroideries, and then framed them for each couple. I also made them luggage tags from the leftover suede pieces.

I can't always decide what is my favorite tool except the one in my hand. But this new to me Crop-o-dile, grommet tool is wonderful. I sewed two pieces of the suede together then punched the grommet on the end and threaded the snap key rings on. The Hubby thinks I need to list the luggage tags on Etsy.

I got a box in the mail. Love presents in the mail. Maybe their not presents to you if you buy them but they are presents to me if the mailman or UPS guy delivers them to the door. It was nice to come home after a rough afternoon, running back and forth to find a box on the kitchen table. Even though our oldest son has to hover when there is a box, because it might be for him. It's an old habit I can not break him of. So I always put him to work, get the scissors, put away the box, etc. Yes he was disappointed it wasn't for him. I got a Teeny Tiny Handheld Micro Vacuum and a new book. I'll tell you about the book tomorrow, promise.

I won the Tiered Patchwork Twirly Dress from Charity at Just Tutes. My granddaughters are gonna love it.

sewing studio

On Cotton Spice blog I signed up for the studio tour. Re-reading my sewing room makeover made laugh at the Bang of the bookselves falling again. March 5th.

Since getting back from Vegas I can't seem to get motivated. I have been designing embroidery on the computer and just plain old putzing around on the computer.

New Designs

I drove to Henderson to check out this very cool quilt shop. Quiltque, this place was huge. the shop had some great Japanese fabric, but I resisted. I really wanted embroidery designs. I need an applique pattern for Embroidery Club this next month. So next stop was a nice shop called Cynthia's. There I found two design packs from Anita Goodesigns. I bought the Northwoods collection, there are a few large animal appliques, a moose, wolf and bear. The shop also had a collection of snowglobes. The other day I bought, Christmas Cards. I also bought a Dakota Collectibles called Mystical. My daughter wants a tote bag with a dragon, this design pack has two nice ones. I like the fire dragon. The gargoyle is wonderful, it looks like it is going to jump out at you. My time is going to expire on my 24 hours, see you when I get home. I miss my sewing machine. All this fabric shop shopping isn't helping.

My phone's camera is just one more thing I have to learn. I tried to move the pictures to a memory card so I could upload the pictures I took, but I'm doing something wrong. Stupid new phone.

Winning and getting lost

Yesterday afternoon, I won over 1600 dollars. Whoo Hoo. I sat down at the Ebay slot machine and told the other lady that to make this machine pay out we had to talk to it. I added my money and with her looking on in disbelief. I told the machine I wanted to go to the bonus round. I hit the max bet key and off to the bonus round we went. The lady, Karen from Illinois, started laughing. That round we won 200 dollars. after three more spins to get the bonus money multiplier up to 15x I asked the machine to send us to the bonus round. Off we went again. This time we attracted a crowd and quickly the other three seats were full. Karen and I kept being rowdy and asking the machine to give us Ebay *wildcards*. The machine loved us. When my winnings hit over 500 I cashed out so I had proof for the Hubby of my winnings. I stuck in another fifty and kept playing. After about an hour, the Hubby called and while I was trying to tell him where I was, we went to the bonus round again, the shouting got too loud to hear him on the phone. When he found us, I had won another 1000 dollars.

After he talked me into cashing out to feed him dinner, we went shoe shopping. The funny part is they are not for me. Hubby has been wanting a new pair of cowboy boots. He found a nice place and he found a great pair of boots. He bought them with his share of the winnings. Then I bought dinner.

So this morning I went to another great quilt shop and bought a 1/2 yard of pirate fabric, for the teenagers. I also bought a new pattern for a notions bag/wallet. The pattern came with zippers and the vinyl. I also saw a few more patterns I want to look up. Needlesong patterns and Black Swan designs. Then I had a nice lunch at Big Dog brewery. I so took a wrong turn and ended up way north toward Nellis AFB. By the time I got back near the hotel. All I wanted to do was come back to the room and take my shoes off. This is the bain of working from home without shoes on. Shoes are a pain.

Vegas Baby

I love Vegas. the 80 degree weather is better than the foot of snow (Blizzard) I left at home.

Tuesday was insane. We got to the airport, and as we were going through the security the flight got canceled. They re booked everybody for Weds. The Hubby and I decided to try and make the drive to Minneapolis and fly out of there. The clerk at the airport wasn't sure about reimbursing us for the difference in the flights, but I suggested maybe she could upgrade us. Whoo Hoo Then the Hubby mentioned that we would have our car in Minneapolis and could she upgrade us for the return trip. I'm so proud of him, I'm rubbing off on him after ten years of marriage. He shrugged and whispered what's the worst, she says no. The normally 4 1/2 hour drive, took 6 hours. We finally arrived in Vegas at 1130 and just made the rental car company's closing at 1159 pm. Yes something that closes in Vegas.

A long wait in line to check in at the hotel at 1 am, how weird. I just plucked off my shoes and crashed on the bed.

Wednesday: Hubby went off the class and I went shopping. The outlet mall is easy to find, got a new swim suit, two new tops and some bras.

I had looked up fabric/quilting stores in my quilters bible. It's funny because I don't quilt. I found the first one, because the GPS is great in getting you there but the details of driveways and layered strip malls is beyond the unit. Anyway I'm in the parking lot, trying to see which way to go and this van pulls in front of me, Quilting tours. I followed her to the shop. I talked to the owner/driver Susan and she gave me a brochure. The tours include hotel pickup, lunch and all day quilt stores. Because I'm really looking for embroidery designs and ideas or bag patterns, I went on to the next shop. Susan said I could follow her. I have the GPS (from Cars movie, love that). Next door to the next quilt shop was a sewing machine store (Cynthia's sewing center) that also sold embroidery designs. I also bought a bag organizer pattern to fit into a tote. Then I stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the hotel. The Hubby prefers Coke and most casinos/hotels sell Pepsi.

Vegas nickel and dimes you, the hotel charges $13.99 for 24 hours of Internet access. the GPS and I found a local library for free WiFi. I wanted a Perkins or a restaurant for breakfast and free WiFi, but the library is great. Yes I ate breakfast, no WiFi.

Last night I got to shake hands with Donny Osmond. Donny danced on the tables and shook hands all throughout the theater. I talked the Hubby into attending a show and I scored tickets to Donny and Marie. I let him pick the next show, we go to see Penn and Teller on Saturday.

Tomorrow is up in the air, maybe driving to Henderson for another quilt shop and a big sewing center. I think I'm going to check out the used book store here in the library before I head back to the Flamingo. Maybe tomorrow I'll have pictures.