Thursday, March 31, 2011

Needle and Thread Thursday. Damask bunny fabric oh my!

I actually bought this yummy fabric last year but never did anything with it. Sometimes I do that. That MAY be the reason I have 3 huge storage containers full of fabric.. :) Anyway, when I started thinking about a style of outfit that I wanted to make my girls this fabric immediately came to mind. My girls are in love with bunnies, and I knew they’d love them.


These may just be my ALL TIME FAVORITE outfits I’ve made the girls. Is this outfit love or what?


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The top was made using the Cathy pattern by Jennifer Paganelli. You can make either a top or dress with this pattern, and it’s SO EASY. I’m already thinking what I’m going to make next with this pattern. You can buy this and all Jennifer’s other patterns here.



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Close up of the ruffle neck. I opted to make a rolled hem with my serger instead of the hemmed edges shown in the pattern. I shortened the width by an inch to accommodate this change. The hemmed edge also looks fabulous, but the rolled hem is so quick and easy.


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I love the super long ruffle on the bottom of the top. It’s so girly and twirly! You can see some of the bunnies in this shot.


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I used my favorite SewSensible Boutique bottoms pattern for the pants. I made them capri length, lengthened the ruffle, and used a rolled hem here as well instead of a hemmed one. These pants are so easy and always turn out so precious. You can get the paper version of this pattern here and the downloadable pattern (I use this one) here.



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We had a little impromptu photo shoot after their bath last night. Here’s Essie. I know she’s mine, but how adorable is this kid?? Seriously.


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My other little model. Anne Pearce wanted to sleep in hers. :)


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Do ya think she’s a ham? Ya think?


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Essie was trying to watch American Idol and model at the same time.


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I can’t remember where I got the fabric last year, but I found mine on Etsy. I couldn’t find any when I googled, which makes me wonder if it’s been discontinued. I should’ve bought 10 yards! This collection is by Tula Pink and is named Hushabye, Let me know if you guys find any…


I’ve really been on a sewing spree lately. Sometimes I have no interest in it and at others I want to live at my sewing machine. I have fabric ironed and ready for these 2 patterns:


This is Sewsensible’s applique apron skirt. I haven’t made it in a LONG time and am excited to make it again.


Applique' Apron Skirt Sewing Pattern - DOWNLOADABLE



I also can’t wait to try this new pattern. It’s the Boardwalk Ruffle Sleeve Dress by Monkeysbug.



Don’t hesitate to ask me any questions you have about sewing or these patterns. I would love to help anyone jump in and start sewing!


Love and hugs,


Linking to:
Weekend Bloggy Reading

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Springtime in the South

Everything is gorgeous and blooming on the coast. All these beautiful azaleas have the SHORTEST bloom and are short lived, but we LOVE it. Everywhere you look in our town you see gorgeous azaleas, camellias, and wisteria. My sweet hubby worked in our yard all day Friday, and I thought I’d share some lovely with you.DSCN2939

Are azaleas across the front of the house aren’t blooming. Anyone know why they wouldn’t all of a sudden?

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2 little girlies in pajamas stumbled in….

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If you’re somewhere that’s cold and dreary maybe this will brighten your day. Not to rub it in, but this is where we were yesterday:

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This is where you will find me every chance I get until fall. I’m going AT LEAST one day a week, sometimes ALL BY MYSELF. :)

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Happy Sunday.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Needle and Thread Thursday: How I made some fun placemats.

I have ADHD. Really. I do. Not kidding. I know this week I was supposed to do the baby sling tutorial. That’s why I told you about the ADHD. That’s the way my mind works. It likes to dance around all the time, and I change my mind quite often. Once I had the thought to make these placemats I couldn’t help myself! I had to get to my sewing machine.

I was browsing through Home Goods FOR THE FIRST TIME ever last Friday. The closest one to me is in Pensacola, FL, which is an hour away from me. I had to take my great niece Little Lulu and her mommy and daddy to the airport over there, so I went for a walkthrough. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I was overwhelmed with LOVE for the store. Anyway, while I was there I was looking for placemats. With all 6 of us eating at the table every night I always need more placemats. While I was looking a little voice popped inside my head saying, “Loulou. Really? You’re going to buy placemats??Seriously? Can’t you sew? Don’t you have piles of fabric?” That voice was right. Why spend $30 and up on placemats when I could make them myself? This is what I came up with:

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Aren’t they cute?

To make my placemats I cut 2 rectangles 20” X14” for each placemat, so I cut 12 rectangles all together. I used my rotary cutter for this project, but I also love to use a good old pair of scissors too.

I chose to make numbered placemats, so I monogrammed mine before I put them together. I used left over drop cloth for the monogrammed side.

This is seriously EASY. Take your 2 pieces, and place them right sides together and pin pin pin and pin some more. Sew all the way around leaving about a 4 inch gap one one of the short sides for turning. I used a 3/8 seam allowance.

Turn your placemat right side out and iron iron iron iron. I have a wooden turning tool to smooth out all the seams and poke those corners out. You can use the eraser end of a pencil too. Topstitch all the way around the placemat. Be careful at the place you left unstitched. I like to really iron that seam down and smooth with my fingers, because sometimes those places like to bunch. I used a 1/8’ seam allowance here to make sure I caught that opening. I then sewed another seam with a 1/2” seam allowance to give it a sort of banded look on the edges. It’s hard to see, because my thread is light, but here are some close ups of that part.

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Give those babies another good ironing, and they’re good to go!

You wanna see what I used for the OTHER side of the placemat? I’ve been saving that part for last, because I LOVE IT.

I used this amazing French Document fabric. I know that most upholstery fabrics say to dry clean only, but I do wash some of them. I’ve always had good luck with more canvasy fabrics like this and my toile. I just cut a small piece and wash and dry to see how it does. This did fine. I have to be able to wash placemats for Pete’s sake. :)

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Here’s a close up of the banded edge on this side. I think it gives them a professional look.

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I really wish my dining table was clean enough to lay these all out for you to see, but that’ll have to be another day. I’ve been too busy sewing to clean. :)

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I use this little table at the end of my living room for the girls all the time. It’s a perfect spot to have a bite or to color a picture. They love the numbers on the placemats.

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I think it’ll be fun to use some with the numbers up and some with the print! I have some solid red napkins that will go perfectly with these!

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Easy peasy. I had everything I needed for these already, so I didn’t spend a dime. I think they look better than the ones I saw at Home Goods. They’re definitely more ME. I guess if you had to figure out the exact price for the fabric it would come to about $2.50 each. I’m not counting the drop cloth, because I just used scraps… I probably used $.50 worth of drop cloth per placemat…Maybe $1 worth of embroidery thread?? So, that comes to $4 or so for placemats that look way more expensive. See what you can get when you make them yourself?

This is such an easy project and perfect for a beginner. If you don’t have an embroidery machine you could always paint your numbers on or applique them.

If you have any questions about these please just leave me a comment, and I’ll be more than happy to help you! I love talking fabric and sewing! It’s my language.

I know this post is already super long, but I do want to share a couple of pictures. I made these princess outfits for the girls a couple of weeks ago. I loved that the princess fabric has princesses of all colors. I always try to find things that look like my girls. I want them to know that all princesses aren’t blond haired and blue eyed. Some of them are little black haired beauties from Guatemala!

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I appliqued the different princesses on their shirts. Does anyone need a tutorial on appliqueing? I would be happy to show you how easy it is.

This is a closer view of Anne Pearce’s. See the butterfly on her shoulder? :) I like to throw in little fun touches like that.

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And here’s Miss Essie Kate’s. I did their shirts similarly but not exactly alike.

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I’m going to take a better picture of the skirt fabric and show you later. It really is precious. The skirt pattern is my favorite girly skirt by Ping Fig Patterns.

Now just for fun a couple of shots of sweet hubby and me on our date for his birthday Tuesday night… I want you to see all the flowers blooming in Alabama!

You wanna know why the picture looks blurry? It’s the HUMIDITY fogging the camera. :) In March.

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I’m sharing this one just because I spotted the paint tray liner in the background and thought it was hilarious.

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Happy Thursday! Feel free to contact me if you have any sewing questions. I’m really happy to help.

Linking to:
Weekend Bloggy Reading

Show & Tell Wednesday, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Project Diaries, Transformation Thursday, Wow us Wednesday, Hooking Up with House of Hepworths, Catch as Catch Can, Metamorphosis Monday

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

And the winners are:

The winner of the house number sign is:

#10

The Frosted Gardner said...

I am a follower and would love love love to win this!!!! Thanks for the opportunity!

March 23, 2011 8:13 AM

The winner of the pattern is:

#5

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

That skirt is just precious!! I'd love to beef my sewing skills up enough to give it a try. :) The framed house numbers are awesome! What a neat idea. :)

You gals email me at lou0728@yahoo.com for the details. I’ll be back later for Needle and Thread Thursday. I have something really fun to share!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sweet little hutch redo and a giveaway reminder

Happy Sunday all! I just wanted to give you guys a quick reminder about the giveaway I’m having. This Wednesday night I will be randomly choosing a winner for a Pink Fig pattern courtesy of my friend Terri at Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops. I’m also giving away a monogrammed house sign number like the one shown below. If you don’t want the house number I can put your last name or help you come up with some thing else. This can be done in the color of your choice. Help me spread the word. Come on! Help a sista out! You can enter the giveaway here.

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Now for the redo! This horribly tacky ugly hutch that needed some attention whispered to me in the thrift store. She was so shiny with hard varnish that she couldn’t breathe. She wanted to be light and airy and comfy. I wish I had a picture before Andrew did any sanding. She was SO SHINY!

She was missing a glass pane in one door.

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This is a petite place but has great storage. I knew it would be perfect for a smaller kitchen or bathroom. Of course I considered keeping it for myself, as I have been wanting something for my bathroom (you know I want to keep everything we do). I decided not to be selfish and share her.

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The sweet stepmom of one of my best friends from high school called as soon as she saw the picture on FB. After some measuring she decided it was perfect for her bathroom. We discussed color, and we got busy.

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Here she is the morning she left to go to her new home. Isn’t she precious???

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We decided to take the other pane of glass out and replace them both with chicken wire. She sent me a pic of the piece, and she has pictures clipped to the wire. It looks adorable.

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Close up of the wire. I think Andrew always does a great job with it.

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She has plate grooves on both interior shelves as well as the top of the base.

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Bebe (the stepmom who is married to Bully. Isn’t that adorable) wanted a little contrast like in some of my other pieces, so I painted the inside panels a soft blue.

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We painted the entire piece in creamy by SW. I distressed and glazed very lightly. This piece just didn’t need a lot. All her details are so precious, and the glaze brought them out just a little bit more. I wanted to keep the true white of the piece.

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I’m so happy this piece is at home with Bebe and Bully. I know she will be loved for years.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up with these fabulous ladies:

Show & Tell Wednesday, Power of Paint Party, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Project Diaries, Transformation Thursday, Wow us Wednesday, Hooking Up with House of Hepworths, Catch as Catch Can, Furniture Feature Friday,Metamorphosis Monday, Restore It Wednesday

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