11 Months & A Sewing Challenge

Mmmm...Sidewalks chalk.

Miles turned 11 months old this week.  I can't hardly believe that he'll be a year old next month. This month has been an eventful one for this little guy. He grew three new teeth, he's added a couple of new words to his vocabulary, dog and clark, although we don't hear dog very often, and Clark is more of a dra sound. He figured out how to take off his diaper, and stand up in the shopping cart. He even started walking this month...tear.  He's up to a total step count of about 7 or 8.  

He's a happy little guy with a short temper. He cries, but rarely when he's hurt.  

He's busy, busy, busy. I'm constantly having to clean up the mixing bowls, and tuna fish cans that he pulls from the kitchen cupboards.  He thinks that everything is a stool, and is quite the climber already.

 He has some serious curls on the back of his head, and I plan on keeping them for a while.  A kind gentleman at the store last week told me it was time to cut his hair.  "There will be plenty of time for long hair and earrings down the road", he told me.  I plan on keeping the curls as long as I can.

This boy loves being outside.  It makes him so happy to play in the grass, and so upset when it's time to go inside. I used to take Clark for walks in the stroller to fall asleep, but Miles hasn't fallen asleep in the stroller yet, he's too fascinated with his surroundings.

Now it's time to start planning a birthday party.  With my boys' birthdays a week and half apart, I'm still trying to decide whether we'll do a joint party or not.  Clark thinks that Miles wants a submarine party, and Clark is dead set on having a "big and mighty machine party".

About the challenge...I was trying to find something in the top drawer of my craft dresser yesterday.  It was filled to capacity.  The top drawer is typically filled with half finished projects.  Yep, I have that many half finished projects.  So, in an effort to clean up my work space, and get something accomplished before it's time for halloween and holiday sewing, I'm going to challenge myself to complete as many of my existing projects as I can.  I've got a lot of projects on the list, and I'm sure I won't finish all of them, but it will be good to make progress.  Anyone want to join me?  I'm starting today, and next Friday I'll try to recap everything that I've finished.

Also, don't forget to visit P&G's eStore for a 10% discount on your purchase, and free shipping on orders $25 and more.  Today's the last day for the discount, so hop on over.

Organize. Sewing and Design Inspiration Book

I've taken one sewing class.  It was Home Decor Sewing, I took it my second to last semester of college, and wish that I would have taken it much sooner.

I had a great teacher, whose name escapes me at the moment, but along with teaching me how to operate a serger, and sew a mitered corner, she also instructed me on how to make a handy dandy inspiration book.

One of our class assignments was to make a design book that cataloged all of the different sewing techniques and stitches that we learned.  We also had sheets full of fabric swatches so that we could keep track of the different types of decor fabric.  

Sewing Samples

Tips, Tricks, and Trims

I wish that I was an inherently neat and organized person.  I enjoy having an orderly home, but it is a challenge to keep it that way.  I feel like my crafting time is stolen time, and I often don't have the time to put things away like they should be.  On Saturday I decided that it was time that I showed my trims and laces the respect (and order) that they deserved.  

 I have an old wipes case that I use to house my bias tapes, ric-rac, piping, and scraps of ribbon and lace. Often times if I just have a piece left, I'll wind it up, secure it with a straight pin, and throw it into the container.

I found an old cardboard box that was floating around our basement, but it into small rectangles (about the same size as my packages of bias tape), and created a nice little home for my trims to rest.

I simply cut one slit on the side of the rectangle.  I slid in the end of the trim, and then began wrapping it along the length of the rectangle.  I was able to fit multiple pieces of remnant trims on some pieces of cardboard.

 My larger laces and trims received larger pieces of cardboard.

 It might not look perfectly organized, and it isn't, but it is an improvement.  It is a great way to store remnant trims and laces, and to keep any trim purchased off of the spool a nice little home.

What craft room organization tips do you have to share?

Homemade Christmas Gifts: Part 1

I know that Christmas has past, but I finally feel like I can share the gifts that I made and gave.  We just opened gifts with my parent yesterday, and it's time to share a few things with you.

This is part one of my homemade Christmas gifts.  I have some additional gifts that I'll share with you later this week, but as for today, here are a few that don't currently include tutorials.

For The Neck

I ended up making four bow ties, two for my husband, and two for my brother in law.   My husband has officially declared that he is a bow tie guy, and so I had to add a couple to his collection. You can find the David Bow Tie pattern at burdastyle.com.

For The Hair

I made up a few headbands for my sister-in-law.  She's expecting her first baby, and there's nothing nicer than a headband to make you feel semi-put together at the end of a pregnancy, or after the baby comes.

You can find the leather bow tutorial here, and information on the headband construction here.

For The Kitchen

My Father-in-law has an addiction to tacos, and I don't blame him one single bit.  I'm quite fond of tacos myself.  I made this tortillero for them, so that their tortillas would stay nice and warm at dinner time.  We also gave them a lime press and some freshly made corn tortillas.

Did you miss the tortilla cozy tutorial?  You can find it here.

For The Craft Room

Both of our mothers were given needle books.  I love mine so much, and figured that they would both appreciate a storage book.  I added some simple stacked flowers to dress them up a bit.  Both of our mothers do some sewing, so I knew that they would be used.

  After giving one to my Mother-in-law, we found out that she normally stores her needles in the curtains, hopefully this is a better solution.

Just a few of the quick little projects that I made for Christmas.  I'll have some tutorials and additional Christmas gifts later this week.

Thanks for reading. I'll be linking here.

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