A Crown

 I LOVE to make gifts:-)  BUT I have a problem I am working on.  Buying and STASHING fabric and sewing supplies, SO my goal was to create a gift only using what I already have.  I usually appliqué a shirt or something like that, but I didn't have a shirt for a 4 year old girl already in my stash!  SO I got some hair brained idea to make her a crown.  

I scoured pinterest and found a bunch of tutorials.  I picked one and tried to print the template, but alas the printer was broken.  So I did what anyone would I drew my own:-)

This is the tutorial as a starting point, but then made it my own as I went a long:-)

I used flannel for the front and a cotton for the back.  I used heavyweight pellon to give it body.  The flower is from an Amy Butler pattern, Madison Bags.  I had forgotten how much I love these!

I am very happy with the results of my first crown endeavor:-)  I can't wait to make more!  The boys think they each need one!

Celebrating a friend

Tonight we celebrated a special little girl.  Her mom and I have become great friends over the last 6 months or so.  It's amazing, how faithful God is with providing what you need when you need it.  So to celebrate this little girl I made her a shirt to document this year!  What fun!  And I had fun wrapping it, which is VERY unusual for me.  BUT it came out cute so I was happy.  Happy Birthday Ella!

I made some stuff

When Holden was born someone gave us a blanket with his name and birthdate embroidered on it...it is still a prized possesion...so I wanted Daniel to have one...so I made one with Applique...I loved it...it may be a standard gift from now on:-)

My seriously longest known best friend April, had a sweet baby boy:-)  I HAD to make him something...I bought this owl fabric before she was even pregnant...I knew she loved owls:-)  I'm happy with the results...

Like I said standard baby gift:-) Or maybe its not SO standard!

Big Brother, Little Brother

Big Brother, Little Brother shirts:-) Complete with requested rocket ships:-)

Finished Projects - a baby girl and her Big Sister...

Baby A surprised us with her early delivery...so I whipped up something quick...good thing since she is so small not too many things fit her but the hat and onesie do...
Love this hat! It fit on her little head! Which probably means that my baby will not fit it the ones I made he/she...

And of course MJ needed a cool big sister shirt! I love how this turned out! And how personal it is...no one else will have this shirt in preschool:-)

Finished Projects - a thank you

I was asked this year to help with the thank you gifts for our children's ministry helpers. I talked with Liz our director, and we came up with this cute cookie idea for feet...One of our classrooms is trying to look for different ways to "walk out our faith" so we though this was somewhat apropos...

Now mind you I have NEVER done this...but I watch Martha...she always is doing these fun little cookies for showers, and parties...I mean if she can do it I can right? just kidding...really I had been wanting to experiment with royal icing and cookies for a while so I thought why not?

It wasn't too difficult although the icing does take some experimenting...and after seeing the ingredient list for meringue powder, I am interested in searching out a more natural alternative, I don't think you can get past the powdered sugar ingredient:-) Although I did use organic powdered sugar so that's worth something right?

I tried one recipe with lemon juice...it was a dud!

Anyways I love how these turned out, and they tasted pretty good too...

More Babies:-)

Just one to show:-) The other one is still not with it's recipient...meaning I haven't gone to see the little one! bummer!

Donated

I have wanted to share my creations with a lot of people, for a while, thats why I make gifts, and sell things, but a while ago I decided that I would also donate some things if asked...SO my good friend told me she was in charge of the preschool her kiddos attend's auction for a fundraiser, and I offered to donate some stuff...she took me up on it...Then I had to decide what to give:-)

So I decided on Mr. Owl here...I just love him!



And I had some fabric left over from an order I made a while back, so I made a baby set, 2 burps and 2 bibs...the bibs really are the greatest! We still use these kind!



And of course I have to include a guitar shirt...this is the item I made for my nephew that made Tom say..."you should sell these" These are fun...

Just a little post to let you all know what I've been up to, besides moving and growing a baby of course!

Another baby gift:-)

Again, a friend I have not met in person, but "talk" to almost everyday had her second baby, a sweet little girl...so I of course made a little gift...love the soft hat, and the fun K!

Some more Friends Had or Will be Having Some More Babes :-)

Wow! Another baby thing post:-) A couple of my far away friends had their babies and I couldn't resist sending a little something:-)

Love the monkey sitting on the C

A local friend is having her baby at home...something I totally admire...he/she will be here very soon, and we can't wait to meet him/her...I did up a couple of hand dyed onesies, a hat and some pants from my new Amy Butler Book, Little Stitches...:-) Now I want to sew for my new little one!

Christmas Gifts

I only made a few gifts this year...With my business, and photography...there just wasn't a ton of time...but I LOVED everything I made:-)

I made the above scarf, from a Martha pattern, for my mom and Tom's mom (hers is turquoise)...I saw it on this blog first:-)



Sometimes it's hard to think of things to make for men...I mean they are not always into the super handmade...you know? But my brother and my dad are crazy for the VWs...my brother loves his Kharman Ghia, and my dad his VW Bus...I researched the years owned/loved, and made them some awesome appliqued T's...I think they turned out great!



I also made MJ a scarf, and Beth a T, with the VERDE logo on it...but I didn't get pics sorry!

Some More Friends had Some More Babies...

I know I am seriously behind...I have a TON to blog about but I REALLY need to finish a website for my brother in law! A deadline approaches so I am sure in a few weeks I will be doing a MAJOR update...so bear with me please!

Anyway, as the title states, some more friends had some more babies...The above onesie was created for a friend from the group of girls who inspired the Dallas trip, another who could not make the trip, who had her second boy:-) I love how the G turned out!



This was made for Amy, another friend from the above mentioned trip...Her son was anxiously awaited for, and we are SO excited for his arrival!




This package was for one of my college roommates who just had a baby girl...when I found out Ashley was having a girl I just had to get this fabric for her...Ashley taught me all about wearing black...surprisingly before I met her I had no black shoes and hardly ever wore the color...now...its a mainstay in my wardrobe:-) She taught me a lot about God too...which is obviously the more important gift:-)

Anyway I love how these all turned out! I hope the recipients all enjoy them!

Some Friends had some Babies:-)

So of course we had to celebrate! The above onesie was made for a friend whom I have never met, but I talk to her almost everyday...remember my trip to Dallas? She is one of those friends...although one who didn't make the trip...ANYWAY, she had her second boy, and now she has a big P and a little p :-) too cute!



Now these were made for our close friends who just had their 3rd boy! The gender was a surprise, so I waited until I knew boy or girl, because I had a totally tricked out girl version of this planned, but alas a boy joined the fam...hehe, I still had fun...The best part was when the daddy said, "That's my Taylor!" So fun to know that it ACTUALLY looks like his guitar, which of course is what I was going for!

Just some fun!

Baby Girl S

My dear friend is having a baby in a couple of weeks...a sweet baby girl, so of course I made a little something to give her at the shower, I had asked her a while back if there was anything she wanted...soemtimes I do this when it is not a first baby...simply because I often give blankets, burps and bibs, and how many do you really need of those?
So this mama asked me to make a decorative pillow that matched her baby bedding, and I was happy to oblige:-)

She also happened to mention that she took the burp cloths I made for her son...everywhere! Oh I love to hear that:-) I really just want things I make to be loved and used...So I made her some sweet pink minky ones...how soft do those look?

And I had some fabric left over so I made a tag blanket...I made on of these for Holden (in blue of course:-)), and while he likes it...I wanted it to be his lovey...and he always has preferred his doll, or now corduroy the bear...which are harder to take everywhere:-) Anyway, this one is pink with the softest white fabric on the back...so soft!

I try not to ever forget the siblings...Mr. N is about to become a big brother, so I didn't want him to be left out...so I made him an Find It bag...where there are different things hidden in these poly pellets and you shake and move the bag all around to find all the fun stuff! Kids love these!
I searched my stash of fabric and found fabric from his blanket and burps! yay! I love it when that stuff works out:-)

Ok a silly post...but here it is...

Just for Fun!

Just for fun I played with some fabric paint before I made anything for the shop...the guitar design is my own...I LOVE it! now need to figure out a shirt for Holden to wear with these that won't be too matchy-matchy! Always the problem with boys clothes:-)

Amano

So some of you may not know that I opened a little online shop featuring some of my handmade gifts. This guitar shirt was my first custom order, based off a shirt I made for Tom. The shop features cool T-shirts, growth charts and will soon have baby items avaiable. So if you are looking for a gift, for your child or a friend take a look! Currently I am still taking custom orders, so if you see something you like on the site or in my photos email me and we can chat about it. Oh and tell ALL your friends! Remember Amano:-) Thanks!

Fall Shirts

Since I made Holden a 'Daddy Rocks' shirt I had been wanting to make something similar for MJ...but since her dad doesn't play guitar, that theme seemed not to fit...so I thought and thought...Beth and I had some laughs over some of the "landscaped" themed ideas we came up with...but then it hit us...I dig my dad! I love it! And the shirt came out great! so great it is in the shop!

I think last year I said I wanted to make the kids owl shirts for Fall...um but I never did...so this year...they got owl shirts...and cute ones at that! these are so "fall" complete with wool used got the owl:-) I love these too!

Amano - Custom

A few custom orders going out to some friends...I love doing these:-) They are so much fun!