School starts back here in our neighborhood next Monday, and our kids begin their homeschool co-op classes on Tuesday. Doesn’t it feel like the summer just flew by?
My list of things to do, prepare and purchase feels like it’s miles long, and I bet yours does, too! I love the idea of sending my little ones into class with something one-of-a-kind and handmade, but with so little time left, it has to be something quick!…
Back to Blogging!
Did you miss me? Er, maybe I should ask, is anyone still here?! It’s been a much longer break than I anticipated, but I think things are settled enough around our house that I can jump back into blogging regularly. I have a long, long list of things to share, including tons of quilting, some new crafty pursuits and plenty of tutorials. I’m even hoping to have a few new patterns ready to release in the next several months….
Ponies on a Katie J. Jumper
Miss Katie J. celebrated her 4th birthday early this month, and since she adores everything My Little Pony, she needed a pony-covered party dress! As seems usual lately, my schedule kept me hopping until the last minute, so I opted for a party dress pattern that I know well and can sew quickly – one that happens to be named for the birthday girl – the Katie J. Jumper!…
Big & Little Boxers for $5 on the Friday Fiver!
My time off is drawing to a close, and I’m excited to share what I’ve been up to. That will have to wait until Monday, though. Today, I have something exciting for you – boxer patterns for $5! With the return of the busy back-to-school days of fall, now is the time to start filling those dresser drawers, and what boy from preschool to high school wouldn’t be excited about a drawer full of comfortable, one-of-a-kind boxers? Both the Oh, Boy Boxers pattern (kid sizes 2 to 14) and the Essential Boxer Shorts (adult sizes small to xlarge) are available for $5 on the Friday Fiver over at Crafterhours. This deal is only available for 24 hours, so run right on over to get all the details: The Friday Fiver. …
A Fostering Update & Some Time Off
Life often takes unexpected turns. If you’ve been following me on Instagram then you know that we accepted a fostercare placement of a brother and sister in January. When they were placed, we were told that neither had any special needs. That’s often how things happen. You just don’t know in the beginning. Since these two came to us, though, they’ve both been classified as medical foster children.
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Crossroads Denim & Topstitching for a Beautiful Finish!
I’m the first stop on the Indygo Junction Crossroads Blog Tour! Since my tour date happens to fall on St. Patrick’s Day, I couldn’t resist choosing Midtown Moss for shorts for my two youngest boys. I used my Sand & Sidewalk Boardshorts pattern and paired the shorts up with store-bought tops. Now my boys are ready to celebrate their Irish heritage in handmade style!
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Drunkard’s Path Circle Mini Quilt
I mentioned this mini quilt in a post a few weeks ago: Apartment Decorating on a Budget. I’ve been enjoying making mini quilts quite a bit lately, and I love the little pop of color and softness they add to a room. When I made plans to spend a weekend helping my oldest daughter decorate her new apartment, I knew that a mini quilt would be the perfect house-warming gift!
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Mini Polaroid-Inspired Magnets ~ A Tutorial
Valentine’s Day is only a week away! These cute little mini Polaroid-inspired magnets are a great personalized gift, and they’re really simple to make. I made two sets as Christmas gifts this year – one for my mom and one for my mother-in-law, and they were well-received by both!
I’m including two different templates – one with fun Valentine’s Day sayings and one plain one that you can leave as is or add your own little love notes!
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Armstrong the Elephant
Late on Christmas morning, my almost 8-year-old Jamie, curled up next to me and asked, “You didn’t make us new stuffies for Christmas this year?” He was so sad that I hadn’t followed through with my normal holiday tradition of sewing new stuffed animals for him and his brother! Of course, since he has a birthday just three weeks after Christmas, I promised that I would rectify my lack of cute, cuddly sewing with whatever stuffed friend he wanted!
His specific request? A stuffed elephant WITH tusks! Sounds easy enough, right? But, I was so surprised at how hard it was to find a pattern that didn’t leave off the tusks. A Pinterest search led me to the Funky Friends Factory Ellie Elephant pattern, and I knew it was the perfect choice.
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Apartment Decorating on a Budget
My oldest daughter and her husband moved into a new place last month. Our son-in-law is going back to school, and they were able to rent a small apartment on campus … a small apartment with giant blank white walls! Because the two of them have worked as house parents at a group home for the last few years, and they’ve not really had a place of their own, they didn’t have much in the way of home decor. So, I asked if I could drive up for a long weekend to help decorate, and they accepted! My younger daughter came along, and we had so much fun – shopping, eating, building, decorating and just enjoying each other’s company, and we put together a cozy, welcoming space, AND we did it on a really tight budget!
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