Bonnie’s Aprons

My friend Bonnie was sweet enough to let me borrow two aprons that her mother made and wore so that I could make patterns of them.

I love the fabric she used!

After I made the patterns, I made a sample one out of this funky fabric that I got from a grange here in town. It always reminds me of a costume from a cheesy high school production of “Man of La Mancha”. :o)

Then I made another one out of a cute vintage-looking print. It’s a very comfy apron to wear and I love the flow-y style!

The second one I love in the black and white gingham! It’s perfect for those of us who wipe our floury hands on our behind while we bake… LOL I also like the two big pockets that make it a great work apron, too!

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Better Patterns

I hate patterns! I don’t hate using patterns, although I do usually end up changing them after a while. I hate dealing with patterns! If you thought getting a map refolded was hard, it’s because you’ve never tried to refold a tissue paper pattern and get it back into it’s original package…

Tissue paper is so fragile and delicate. I always rip them and I can never fold them up again.

unfolded

yeah, I don’t think they’re going back into that package ever again…

I have a few patterns that I use quite a bit and have more that I have to trace myself onto tissue paper that I make a lot!

But my friend Bonnie gave me some terrific advice! Trace your patterns onto interfacing. It’s stronger, but transparent enough to trace onto. You can write notes on it and pin it over and over again. And they are WAY easier to fold up and put into a ziploc bag!

these are so much better!

Garden Markers

I’ve had this idea rolling around in my head for a while now. After a few trials on the sealant and finding the perfect pictures, I made a final product…

I LOVE them!!! They are just exactly what I wanted for my garden this year! I am going to try to make a whole bunch of them and see if I can sell some???

 In case anyone is wondering… I know these aren’t radishes. I just put it in the strawberry patch for the picture! :o) 

the picture is from vintage seed packets from the 20s

Now I just need a whole bunch of old wire hangers…

Fun With Chickens

Not only are chickens good for farming but they are good for crafts, too. Well, chicken fabric is good for crafts! :o)

I bought this at my favorite quilt store in Cannon Beach, Center Diamond.

I am already thinking of ways to get as much as possible out of my 1-yard cut…

Sewing Time

Today I decided to finish up a couple of aprons I started on Saturday and then I made a few new things, too… It was a fun to spend a little time sewing and creating today!

these two clothespin bags I made on Saturday out of a quilt I couldn’t motivate myself to finish

this clothespin bag I made out of a baby shirt I got from “the Bins”

I had barely started on these appliquéd tea towel aprons but finished them today (I love the way they turned out!)

I made this one today out of some hot pepper fabric I have had for YEARS…

 

I sewed up a few of these catch-all boxes and realized that it might be the perfect project for some retro hankies my sister-in-law gave me a couple of years ago…

it was!!!

the left-over box fabric got turned into a little pouch to put into my purse

Matchstick Crosses

Even though it’s a little late, we made matchstick crosses today for Ash Wednesday at Family Nite tonight. I really wanted to make one because I always remember my grandparents having one hanging on the wall of their TV room.

With 7 families burning matches to make about a dozen crosses, the fellowship hall seemed more like a smoky tavern than a church basement… Well, except for the fact that it smelled much better. LOL

After the smoke cleared and worship time, we all got to work. They didn’t look that hard, but they were a little more tedious and sometimes more frustrating than we thought they’d be.

I’m not sure if I’ll make another one, but I’m glad I did it. I made the smaller of the two patterns. Chris made his the bigger one out of un-burned matches. He’s planning on lighting the whole thing at once. I’ll take pics and post them later… I’m sure it’ll be interesting! :o)

Chris and his cross before the burning…

Treasures From The Bins

I know this isn’t all about crafts, but it was therapeutic…

Yesterday, Amy, Amy, Theresa and I went to “the bins” (aka Goodwill Outlet). I’d only heard the stories but had never been before. It was a total blast!

It’s just a big warehouse full of row after row of bins FULL of Goodwill rejects! But there are some really terrific finds in all that garbage!!!

I got lots of stuff for sewing projects, some clothes for the boys and I, and just some fun little finds.

If you ever get the chance, get some friends together and go. It’s kinda cool to fill up your cart and drive it onto the “truck scale” to see how much your treasures weigh.It’s the most fun you’ll have for about 89 cents a pound!!!

Here are some of the great things I brought home…

this was the first thing I found

 

I always need a new watering can…

and jelly jars

and Tupperware

 

I always have to get some vintage/retro stuff for the kitchen

this might go up someday in the family room (I hope)

I liked these two angels for Christmas! The look really 70s and still have all the jewels on the collars!!!

I’m either going to embroider or appliqué something cute on this tablecloth

some pants, shorts, jeans and a dress shirt for the boys

some clothes for me (I got more that I didn’t take pictures of)

some stuff for future sewing projects

 

I even found some trailer levelers for Chris!

But these two things are my FAVORITE things…

this mint-condition set of retro pink snowflake glasses (I’m actually going to trade them with my sister for a really cool retro pitcher she found…) But I still LOVE them!

  

and this SUPER tacky, just-had-to-have-it chicken-pockets apron!!!