New Little Bags

This year for Lili's 9th birthday party, I decided made some cute little wristlets for the girls/guests to take home with them...a special little goodie bag!  They turned out so great and were so fun to make! 

I hand embroidered each girls initials one day while kiddos were in school.  That maybe took 2 hours to get all 9 of them done.  I then cut the outer fabric and the lining to size and ironed on the interfacing so they were a bit more sturdy.  Once I had them all cut out and ready, I spent the Saturday before the party just sewing.  Each bag took about 20 minutes to sew together...not bad and I think they were a big hit!!

They are just the perfect size for each girly to carry some money, gift card, and their library card (oh so important!).

I was so bummed I forgot to take a picture of all of them in the basket before we handed them out to the girls but it got a little crazy...you know how 9 yr. old's are!

You want one too?  The perfect stocking stuffer!!  Email me!

Awesome mornin'!

Right outside my window this mornin'!

Don't mind me...pretend I'm not even here!

The girlies noticed him as we were gettin' ready for school...too bad Zander was already at school!

So what's been going on you ask?  Not much, I say!

Kid stuff-sleepovers, halloween parties, haunted houses (my oldest is traumatized for life I think!)
Mom stuff-early Christmas shopping, (still) makin' dinner, watching baseball and Kansas State football, reading, and then all the other stuff we moms do (not worth mentioning)

Good news though...I think I got the sewing bug again.  I want to make some grocery shopping bags that are cute.  Doesn't it make shopping more fun when you have cute bags?  Well a cute bag actually makes everything better!!! 
So I found this great fabric today...bought some in dark red but want this color too.  LOVE it!  Can't you just picture this grey with bright yellow liner fabric or straps (or both)?  I can! 
So excited to make it into something amazing!

Source: shop.hobbylobby.com via Alicia on Pinterest

The weather has been so nice and we have had lots of chances to hang out with the neighbors in the back yard.  The kiddos all get along so great! 

And the most adorable neighbor dog...Sophie! 

Life is Good!
   

SLAM!!!  I got 2 done and I love 'em both so much.  Z's curtains went on hold as I need to find the right base curtain first and then will add this extremely cool fabric that I found at a garage sale. 

*NOTE-please excuse my camera...getting a new one soon

Project #1: FR/LR curtains
I added the tan canvas fabric to my curtains from our old house.  These windows were a bit taller but I still loved my old curtains so this was my solution. 

Ignore my junk in the corner...I do!

This set in the DR is about to get the same treatment...see how short the long one on the left is?  They have an intense case of high-waters.  The one on the right is over the radiator and will stay the length it is...perfect!

Project #2: Kitchen curtains!!! 

The whole time working on this I kept thinking..."this fabric is so perfect!"

Love!  Every time I walk in to my kitchen it makes me smile!  I think that's what I was going for!

Projects!

Happy Tuesday to all! 

What are you up to this week?  Are you doing anything exciting?  Are you doing something you love?  Well I am.  I have my machine out and am working on a few sewing projects.  I will take some pics and let you see...soon. 
Project 1: We have a need for improved curtains...my are all highwaters...you know like a pair of short pants?  Yup, all the curtains that I brought with me from CO fit the window width here at our house in MO but they are all too short.  So I figured out a plan...I am in love with the canvas drop cloth fabric (it's a huge piece of fabric for cheap cheap cheap but if you go looking for some, make sure you don't get the drop cloth with the plastic backing) from Home Depot and I am going to cut the curtains about a 1/3 of the way from the top and add some of that drop cloth fabric in there.  The DR and the LR curtains are getting the makeover and like I said, I will take some pics when I am all finished. 
Project 2: I am also making a new curtain for my kitchen window (I love this window and am so excited to finally have a kitchen with a window!) using my new kitchen colors...turquoise and red (just like my blog...hmmm!).  Oh on eBay last week I bought an amazing Fiestaware turquoise serving bowl!  It's awesome!  I have all white Fiestaware dishes and bowls and now am collecting turquoise (don't forget Dad...keep the eyes open and aware at all times...turquoise!)
Project 3: Z needs curtains.  I found some fabric at a garage sale last summer and have had the fabric hanging (unfinished) with pushpins since. 

So there we go, 3 projects to keep me busy this week!   

Some of you might remember me blogging last year about Mom-in-Law's cruise around the world trip...well she leaves today on a 2 month jaunt through Eastern Europe.  I have told her to forward me plenty of pics so I can share! 
Have a great time Carolyn!

I moved...

...my sewing room that is!  A lot of you know we live in a much bigger house now and space is abundant.  One of the things I was psyched to have in this new house was a room all to myself for sewing, computer, writing, etc.  My own space, my hideaway!!!  Our home in Colorado was one C and I bought in 1993...we were 23 yrs. old and we thought the house was amazing.  It had a huge backyard, a 2-car garage for C, a large master bedroom and 3 other bedrooms that we used for misc. other things.  We didn't have kiddos until K arrived in January 1999 so there was lots of space.

Over the years those 3 extra rooms were used for many different things.  Sewing/craft rooms, C's hobby room, computer room, eventually kiddo rooms and then the office for our company.

We grew out of that house years ago but always seemed to make it work.  The living room started as the hangout for parties, throwing darts and watching movies.  Then became all things baby...swing, bassinet, toys galore and then held the sewing area where I started A.Lovely.

It was a well-used, well-loved house!

We moved to Florida in 2010 to be near C's family and our new house is much bigger.  So much bigger that we are sometimes at a loss for where to put things, ironic huh?  The funny thing is the kiddos, C and I are not used to it.  We grew used to being close together and always knowing what everyone was doing at any time.  This is the reason why my sewing room has moved...I couldn't get comfortable being across the whole house and never got anything done except when kiddos were at school.  So, the dining room is now mine and I am thrilled!

Have a look!

Still organizing but looking at this pic makes me happy...kiddos were happy too! 

What can be better than fabric, a sewing machine and a hot cup of coffee?

I love the window!

Notice the kiddos have a table in there too...we like to be together!

So we are slowly getting settled in, making this house work for us.  I am thrilled we all like to be together...they may make me feel crazy at times but I guess I would rather them want to hang with me than the alternative!! 
I am thrilled with where we are in life right now and look forward to making this my best life!
Might as well right?!

My Motto

Make what I want, want what I make and love doing it!

People who are successful and love their jobs are always following their passions.  I love sewing, embroidery, small amounts of quilting.  My goal is to bring those favorites things in to some focus and help support my family.  That's what I want to do in life...something that makes me smile every time its work time.      

I like certain things.  I like certain colors.  I have my style.  I have never considered myself an artist but in some way I guess I am and as an artist, I need to make what inspires me.

Here are some of the things I have been working on for 2011...Enjoy!

 Some great stuff in the works...Valentines Pillows (yes, it's already another holiday)!

Can be personalized just for you or someone special!

Happy Friday!!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  Ours will be filled with kiddos, sewing, KSU football, food, family and fun!

Grandpa with kiddos, We all love our wildcats!

I don't think there are too many chores to be done. Here are some pics of the house after a lot of hard work.  We finally have our lawn mower so C got the yard mowed...makes such a huge difference.  MIL has brought over many plants (THANK YOU CAROLYN!) and we have worked hard on transplanting from our jungle in the backyard. 

What do you think?

Remember this is where we started...an overgrown mess! 

So many of the neighbors have stopped by and let us know how much they appreciate all our hard work and to tell many stories about the doctor who lived here for many years and made the house what it is.  I guess it was once the hangout for all the neighborhood kids.  Maybe it will again...sounds good to me...what do they say, "keep your friends (my kids) close, keep your enemies (their friends) closer"!!!


I mentioned sewing...the current project is once again baby quilts...to be done and sold soon.  No, there babies in my future but I love working on these little quilts!  My blanket was so important to me as a child and I love that one of my quilts might comfort a new little person somewhere out there.  

I will post the finished quilt next week...ENJOY your weekend everyone!

Lots of Love!!!

For Valentine's Day, my 11 yr. old daughter wanted to make something a bit more creative than just a card for all her besties...she came up with making little heart pillows.  She wanted to make quite a few and to make them completely on her own.  I had to come up with something pretty simple and very cute...I think we accomplished our mission...what do you think?

First...the fabric...making the choice is probably the hardest part but it helps to have an established scrap pile!!!  Have I mentioned I love my scrap pile?!!

Next, cut out a pattern from plain paper.  Now this is where you can be as creative as you like...I can think of so many different shapes that would make adorable little pillows.  

Now pin your pattern and cut out 2 hearts...simple enough...

We wanted raw edges to show and to fray so with the wrong sides of the fabric together, we sewed the edges with a long basting stitch leaving an opening just big enough to stuff your filling.

Now pin the edges up and sew it closed. 

DONE!!!  That's it...so quick, like 15 minutes quick.  Perfect for little ones with short attention spans and Mom's who like to have their machines back quickly :)!

Make a few and spread the love...great for end-of-year "Thank you's" to your kiddos teachers!

So, kiddos are home from school today...teacher work day...we just might make a few more in some other fun shape!!!  Hmmm...what can we come up with?!!!

Happy Thursday everyone!

New fabrics...one of my favorite things!

So I am lucky enough to have the website equilter.com based right near.  I needed some new fabric and was having a hard time finding them in the local shops.  I got lucky and found what I wanted on equilter!  I gave them a call to see if I could save on the shipping since they are right in the neighborhood and just pick it up...they said YES!  I was thrilled!  I still had to wait a day...have to wait my turn for cutting...but they gave me a call the next morning and I had my new a.lovely fabrics.  I can't explain my love of new fabric...it just thrills me to no end!  

Here they are...

 

So pretty, right?!  

You know, my grandmother owned her own fabric store when I was a very small child...I don't even remember the store but that must be where I developed this crazy love of fabric.  I do remember, after she closed her store, I would go and stay with them and she had kept a large cutting table and some fabric bolts from the store.  She had them set up like a mini fabric store right in her garage.  I would go out there and play store...for hours.  
  I thank you Grandma for this gift you didn't even know you were giving!  I adored my Grandma and Grandpa and this just made staying with them even better!


So now I have new fabrics...bags soon to arrive at my alovely.etsy.com site as well!
New fabrics always make any day brighter...try it...it really works!!