Amy Butler Origami Bags

Zipper Week

I have been really trying to tackle zippers lately.  I really have been wanting to make these cute little Amy Butler origami bags for awhile now but have been terrified of how to put in a zipper.  

  I finally found time to practice in the last couple of days.

I embroidered on a few.

Leslie has already claimed this one:)

You can't really see it but I embroidered a daisy on this one.

Maranda decided Winnie needed to be in this pic.  You can see Maranda's little feet in the background.

I have not mastered the zipper and am learning a lot by screwing up when I put them into the bags.

Happy Sewing Friends!

Loud and Proud

More is more!  Or is it????

I love Bari J.  I already made one Bari J. bag after I had seen how great my friend Jackie's turned out.  Pink Chalk offered a video seminar on how to make this Patchwork Rose "Zippered" Bag.  (I realized that the zipper wasn't so bad to put in after watching her video.)  Anyway, she says in the video when it comes to embellishing that "more is more," and she may change her mind after seeing my bag. lol!

I chose the brightest of my fabrics and even ordered in a few of Bari's new fabrics to use in it.

I chose the sweet blue and tangerine from Bari's new collection for the interior.

I embellished with buttons,

embroidery,

and beads.

Yes it is overdone and probably only appropriate to take to the circus!  However, it got my creative side excited again and I loved the process!

This is the back and a bit more of a calm view.

Side note..... Maranda (yes in her pajamas at 2:00 in the afternoon on Sunday) and I just hung her banner that she made in art class.  It spells out her name on each of the banners.

The Painted Farm

We are so (I am flipping excited) happy to have a new art studio in our neck of the woods called the Painted Farm!  Out south, in the country of our small town lives my new friend Mindi.  She was an art teacher in Moore schools and now has decided to open a studio at her home.  It has turned out beautiful!!!  

Five of my girlfriends and I went out one hot July evening with a couple bottles of wine in tow and made these collage /paintings.  It was so fun!  We laughed so much and all fell in love with our projects:)

Leslie and Mindi getting our canvas's started.

Misti working away!

Holly of course one upped us since she is a professional already! :)

My sister Stacie was so gleeful in her creative process.  To quote her, "I love my painting, so if you don't keep it to yourself!"

Ta daaaaaaa! 

The kids have loved art camp at the Painted Farm and Mindi sold out both sessions!!!  My kids loved it so much we decided to do both sessions.

Mindi's sweet husband is building her a to die for chicken coop.  Maranda fell in love with several chicks:)

Confetti Rag Quilt

I have been wanting to make a flannel rag quilt for awhile and finally got the chance this week.   I was down in Blanchard last week and found a little quilt shop that had Bliss in flannel.   I love the colors of Bliss!

If it wasn't for these spring loaded scissors, I would have been in big trouble when it came to clipping all the fringe into it.  Everyone told me that it takes twice as long to clip it all than it did to cut and sew it together.  They all underestimated my speed and I don't give a crap if I cut into the seam one in awhile mentality! :)

Again with the yummy to die for colors!!!  It is definitely a happy rag quilt:)

I made a lap quilt so I had 300 squares to cut.  I just watched a little Flipping Out on Bravo while I worked and was done in no time.

I haven't washed it yet because I love the look of it.  It looks like confetti right now!

I have missed all of my blog friends!  I plan on getting back on here and updating my blog more often.  I have made (ok started) several quilting and embroidering projects that I hope to post soon.

Honeycomb Hexi's

Hexi Honeycomb

At quilt camp, I decided to try my hand a paper piecing hexi's.

 I basted all of the hexi's and then hand sewed each together.

 Ryan took a shot of me sewing them one morning.

 This is the backside with the paper hexi's in them still.

I machine sewed the honeycomb onto a rough piece of osenberg.

I made a little bee out of wool and then embroidered my blog title on it.

I have not made a pillow in a long time.

I was pretty happy with my out come.

Maranda's Pinwheels

Maranda's Quilt

I adored the 3 Sister's Line "Martinique."  I bought up tons of it  at the end of the bolt sale.  I had been wanting to make Maranda a  pinwheel quilt with it ever since.  I decided last night at 6:30 after having been at Luke's baseball tourney all day that I would start it! I now have 16 of the 30 I am going to make done.

 I started with two charm packs and cut them at a 2 inch at top and 3 inch at bottom angle.

 I lay the pieces into the pinwheel pattern.

With my trusty Sonic tea in the back ground, I started sewing it together.

I am not much of a "pinner" but really believe in ironing.

 Viola!  I pretty little pinwheel.

 I love my little stack of pinwheels:)

 I am anxious to crank some more of these babies out today!

Quilt Camp

Can Cuffs

I decided I needed something to put my scissors, pencils, etc to stand up in while I am at quilt camp this week.  I used a large can and some scrap fabric.  

I noticed a stamp I had of a mason jar and decided that I would stamp, embroider and sew.  :)  I used a large can and some scrap fabric.  

I wasn't really sure what I was going for at first.  Nothing was measured or pinned.  (Just eyeballed!)  I like to use a lot of creative expression while I work! ;)  

I made these for a few of the gals I know that will be at camp.  Now I need to come up with a little something for the other ladies that will be there.  I don't want to look like a jerk if I give gifts to a few of the girls.  I am thinking maybe some lavender sashes or something.  I have 4 days to figure it out! lol!