lucky box

I have several bigger projects that are desperately waiting to be finished, but as much as I love to sew and quilt I do not like layering quilt tops, batting and backing and the wrinkles in my project that follow. I do have the best intentions on actually getting a bigger quilt all finished this year. Luckily there are so many inspirations for little project that are really fun to make like this little fabric box. And it is done in a snap, not even a pattern required. It's intended for a teenager's desk or shelf with simple black letter applique and line quilting and will be send off overseas by the end of this month. However I have to admit that I am still looking for more phrases or just words to put on a box. If you have an ideas then send it my way.

lampions in style :: made of fabric

Karin came with a handwritten pattern of simple lampion and a sample of tiered fabric lampion - probably made in china. We talked about trying to make both before she even set foot on the plane here. However we didn't really have much time for sewing this visit. With the kids home on summer break, appointments and other responsibilities time was short. After all we also had to go fabric shopping first to find the right colors for our prototypes.

We choose very different colors and patterns of fabric. Karin went with greens and blues fitting to her living room, mine were matched to the girls rooms with purple and green wall color. However I am not sure if I really can give my prototype up as planned.

The first step took a long time - the zigzag border which was needed twice and made by hand and handsewing.

The next steps were a little faster but we seriously had to make lots of breaks to get some pool time and swimming and a little bit of tan for Karin. Eventually both our first attempts of lampions came together and we love the result. I don't think you necessarily need the light inside, because even without they look pretty neat. I just picked up two cords with the light attachment on a shopping trip earlier this year to Ikea for 99 cents each. I knew I could use them for something.

No there's just the question if one of us is actually making a tiered lampion sometime. We do not have a pattern for that idea, just a simple ebay bought sample and a few pictures online. So here we need lots of planning and measuring out to make it work. Or I could simply wait until Karin did it. :)

school is out now - luckily

These pictures are truly lacking. But it was really late this am when I finished the teachers' presents the kids wanted to bring to school this morning. I thought I started early enough, but the week ended up being so busy and I lieterally  couldn't hold a needle in the evening. Just like right. I am just waiting for end of the movie the kids are watching trying to keep my eyes open.  

I admit even yesterday evening I got a late start. The kids wanted to go to the TASK pool party from their school in the evening and spend some more time with their friends. some they might not see much anymore with the new rezoning again and required school change for all three of mine next year. So while the cupcakes baked in the oven for Soren's class after I got one grocery tote done after the other. Bella asked that we also add a snap for closure which fits well. She picked the blue one for he teacher and Chiare thinks her teacher loves purple. We know Soren's teacher's favorite color is orange and for Mrs. Fox. the aid in his room, who had all three Bissell monsters in pre-k, roses to keep. We hope they have some use for it when going grocery shopping.

6.19 am - 24 cupcakes were dipped in icing and outfitted with sprinkles as sweet snack for Soren's class. At that point the whole class probably or more definately needed sugar including the teachers and got pre birthday cupcakes because - school will be out on his birthday next week and it was a reason to spoil the little rugrats on more time. 

Ready for the very last trip to this school and not just for the summer. There will be lots of Good-Byes and I miss you! Call me! We are not moving. However this chapter is closed and another will open as many more too come.

But everybody is ready for the summer.

slightly distressed photo canvas DIY

Our hallway needs a little redecorating, but it is a long  way to go. Mainly because I can't make up my mind exactly how. I would like to include canvases, because I love the look with photographs and artwork. However printing photographs onto canvas is rather expensive. So when I came upon deila creates's blog and saw how I could do it myself I was hooked. I followed her tutorial and am quite happy with the first attempt.

flying in the wind

An old neighbor called it "brightening up the neighborhood".

Possibly.

We thought more of save keeping yesterdays bagged and dyed fabric from our crazy dog who can jump really high. So after rinsing out the dye we dried the fabric on the clothes line and let it fly in the wind. The colors turned lighter with drying. I loved sitting outside just seeing it.

After dinner I went back in my 'Hexenkueche' (sorcerer's workshop) and Bella turned into a sorcerer's apprentice in creating new colors and dying more fabric with pattern and without usinf plain white, pink or blue.

Tomorrow we will see again how they turn out.

Before we started all this sorcerer business we did some real sewing we fabric from the stash. Just the snaps are new to close and yes, there are hundreds of possible uses for snaps if you just start thinking of where you might could add one.

I made the Americana version of this wallet after a tutorial from Noodlehead again. I changed the size a little to fit it more for ITS purpose. It is leaving the country and so I stayed with the American theme and used a cute flag fabric as lining.

The new Quilts & More magazine had this little pattern for a camera bag. My camera seriously won't fit in here. No chance. However it is such a cute bag that we find good use for it nevertheless.

Take a close look at the closure. Another snap. Even engraved. These snaps work so well and are so much easier to install as the metal snaps or even velcro. My girls already can do and Soren loves to sort them buy color and motive. Isn't the flower cute and fitting perfect. Wait until yo get to see a ooga booga snap, we got today after we were not supposed to receive the flower ones.

The first part of my new summer bag is finished. Made with linen and a selection of bright colored strips. Inside I added a keyring to be able to clip my keys on. I search my keys ALL the time, so since a while I have a big carabiner hook on my keys and I literally always hook it on my purse or on my pants. Every bag I make will get one. In addition I added to more rings inside to be able to attach a smaller bag/sidepocket to it as a bag organizer. It is still in the planning stage, but the big bag is ready to be used.

blue dinosaur :: backpack :: trinket pouch

Since the busy weekend  is over there actually was some time again. My mom enjoyed the possiblities to check out the craft and quilt stores here in the States. She would love to pack the Hobbylobby in her luggage just the way it is. :).  The ladies at the local quilt store already know her by now, because I stop by with her at every visit and next month I will with Karin, too. They are really sweet and you are always get told stories about their experiences and trips to Germany or current projects. And we found time to sew. Most of out little project are just no finsihed yet, because they just need the little snap still  to close - but that will be done in a snap you will see.

During our BIG storm we luckily kept power not like everybody here and it only flooded the backyard and caused rivers running right and left running downhill filling up our ditches high and turning everything in mudpies deep.

But we lucked out and stayed dry inside and it was perfect for sewing Soren's blue dino backpack I intended on making for such a long time and just never had enough motivation.

It took a moment to figure out the zipper pocket but it's actually really easy with drawstring backpack tutorial from Noodlehead. I love her blog.

But no little boy can have a backpack without a little trinket pouch fitting to it.

This is one of the project I still need to add a snap to it which luckily arrived late last night. Now I only need to dig up a small carabiner hook, I know we still have one in the house. The stores I look where out and next time I simple use a swivel clip stolen from a dog leash from the dollar store right away - it's impossible to find these in the right size locally here either.

But all that's important is that there is the BLUE DINO on top of the backpack.

Photos of our little flood just CLICK.

april stash project :: fabric basket #1

Perhabs I should call it rather scrap project, because only the lining came from  my stash, the natural colored fabric was left over from the pincushions  I just finished and the rest is just scraps. It was really fun to do. I planned on adding simply colored rectangles in two rows, but didn't plan the colors well, so I cut my finished strip up one more time and added more of the natural fabric. It was a little bit more work, but if I go through the trouble making this basket I at least should like the result. I might even try another one sometime again. It's so simple to make.

for money and trinkets

It cost Soren a nap to get his hands on it. This was the first attempt to make a little wallet or trinket keeper for him. Since last November my mom and me were looking all over the place to find a simple little boys wallet. With no luck. I had so many in my hands in Germany, we even owned a Pooh Bear one, which got recycled a few years ago when the girls outgrew Pooh Bear. But it is impossible to find a BOY's wallet here.

So a few weeks ago, after another luckless attempt of finding one, I starting on this little project and I admit I am not overly excited about the result. That might be the reason why it took me til today to close up the last opening and add the little bit of velcro.

Soren on the other hand loves it. He loves that it snaps on his pants, if he wears jeans. And I promised him some money for the little wallet, because he insisted putting money in it instead of trinkets for now. He tried and asked for big money, but had to make due with coins. Little sneak.

Until he gets the real wallet from Oma she found, this has to be it, and perhabs someday I can figure out to make one a little neater. It was the first attempt.

You want a little garden update?

Texas has a drought again.
Not really helpful.
My shade building over the veggie plot is not beautiful.
The  cucumber plant that almost ripped and miraclously survived looks better as the ones in the veggie plot ?!?!?!

Do you have an idea want plant this might be? We have no clue even we planted it. Smart right.

a bit of fabric, wire and beads

I always loved necklaces. Simple silver or platin. However these type of necklaces are really thin, and little hands love to hold on tight to them.  I didn't want to get them ripped and only wore them occasionally. But I still loved to add a touch of color to a simple shirt with a necklace made of colorful beads or a special charm.

Making these necklace gave me the opportunity to play with beads and wire and of course to add some fabric. Even I love the charm on the first one, I am not sure if #2 is not my favorite indeed.

Here is my litte "I wanna help" person showing up after I already took the pictures perfectly fitting with his chocolate icecream stained soccer shirt.

sewing :: planting :: grilling

Sunday was a relatively simple day. All activities that required leaving house or yard were cancelled and we just stayed home. After a crazy week and don't repeat Saturday it was necessary.

While Soren luckily hogged the back DVD-player to watch Dora and Diego and finally started working on the substitute xmas present that got not delivered at xmas. Somehow I always forget to remind myself that mini quilts need alsmost as much prep time as big ones, just less ironing. Eventually I got to sew most of the pieces together ib the morning, changed colors in between and even handquilted it inthe evening. I think with the binding it will come together nicely.

On the other side I am unsure if we really needed to plant the first seedlings in our vegetable plot yesterday. The kids loved helping doing it and are already pampering the little plants and can't wait for the seeds in the kitchen to sprout, but Chiara and Soren definately had a blast just digging inthe dirt and hoeing away. Perhaps we should have skipped the plants?

The kids are very selective which veggies to plant, but their first request was strawberries. We had no luck last year in the pot, neither with the seeds nor with the little plants. No berries. The plants survived, so they got first in the new garden plot, but I added one new strawberry plant and picked one that has already green strawberries hanging. Just to make sure.

I never was a big fan of yo-yos, but suddenly I like them, especially with buttons. For right now their getting added to headwraps, but I am sure I find something else to use them for. One idea is already in my head, but psst. Can't tell.

Of course after all that working outside yesterday, we had to clean the BBQ and hook it up again to grill for dinner. BBQ chicken strips are just the best and the kids love them. It got just a little too chilly to eat outside by the time we were ready. Next time.

time for headwraps

No, I didn't plan on decorating headwraps. However it is fun, relaxing and made the girls happy when they came home. My hatbox filled with felt was still sitting on the sewing table and also leftover straps from the last stash project, too. Everything right on hand and who does not love to run her hands through buttons?

These are the first attempts. One made out of felt, the other with fabric flowers, swirls and all buttons.

I chose thin and wide headbands and we noticed the thin ones are also quite a bit smaller. Perfectly little girl sized. Believe me soren tried them with his big head before I could stop him, but no way, even Chiara needs the wider size. Still she loves the grey one. Unfortunately I have a lot of unique buttons in my tin box and this sparkly one was one of these. We will get more ideas and I am sure we also will find a home for the smaller headbands.

project.2011.#1 - canvas clock

It was laying on our kitchen table. The top almost finished. Only the four corners had to be sewed together, but Antonio stopped any further progress when he took a nap in the middle of the sewing machine.

The next morning after finsihing the last stitches I got out the powertools, guerilla tape, and a sharp knife and went to work. And the first project for this year is all finished and not just started like all others ones. It took a little while to figure out the clock work and I have to admit Leland is right - rechargeable batteries are not working well in clocks.

Just a little

There is literally not much time for crafts or sewing right now. Once a while we squeeze a tiny bit in and I do miss it, but we are just busy.

We are almost finished putting up the fence in the yard. Just a few things left to do, but the gates are already closed. If it would have been after the kids the poles and the gates was all what we needed. The literally walked all along the property line to get back to the gate to enter the yard instead of just going through the openings in between the poles. That would be no fun. Now even Soren spent a couple minutes outside before we left this morning and also since we are back I am still waiting for the rattling on the gate that now limits his adventuring and our searching and running.

But he is the best yard helper of all three of my kids. Always right there in his boots and with his shovel when I am starting to dig another hole to plant something. He loves being outside and being busy there.

We did spent a Saturday evening opening our button factory again and the girls are getting more and more creative with FIMO. Soren instead is in charge of the pasta machine. He squeezes everything through he gets his little hands on including me finished button - thanks, little pasta machine monster. But he also makes cute little snakes.

It was not done in a day, but after wanting to try out mosaic since ever and having a small kit here, I did finally do it. A mosaic trivet out of a beautiful tile with tuscan print. Just a tiny bit of Italy. I love doing it even I need to get more practise with grout - from the right consistence to spreading it nicely. It was a first time.

November 19, 2009 - happy birthday, chiara

Was the day that couldn't come fast enough for Chiara. Her 7th birthday. She said at least 5 times every day before I can't wait anymore and now we have over 300 days to hear those words again for the next birthday. Girl! But she was a happy girl. She had a great day at school, ate cupcakes with her friends there, brought a card home and her birthday ribbon, which she didn't take off all day.

She loved opening her birthday cards the arrived in the mail (Thanks again for thinking of her.) A special thanks to Marvin, too, an old friend of mine who sends Birthday wishes to everybodys birthday and never forgets one since years, even I still don't know his exact birthdate. I will find it out someday.

All three monkeys and Soren is of course already eyeing the cake and cupcakes.

Which he indulged in after stealing Chiara's birthday crown from her head. Little thief.

Chiara was of course her silly self as usual.

After checking out her new desk in her room she actually took the time opening her present from Oma & Opa (thank you so much for the rain coat, with the pour down the next day it was in use right away, it's just perfect) and of course Karin and the shoes and books she got from us. She is a shoe freak. Lol. And ruins them also in the shortest time possible.

We also munched on yummy Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes. Delicious. I tell you.

I might tell you the recipe another day, because if you try it once you just LOVE them. and they are so easy to make.

Now I go back to preparing and getting ready for the PARTY, because a bunch of kids are going to be here soon.