Tea for Two

This is a story about B my friend,  we  have been besties for about 7 years, we didn't grow up together however we both married boys (I mean MEN) from our current small town in NY and as the saying goes "once you marry a valley boy you never leave", yep that is true.  I am very lucky that her husband didn't move away and that we didnt either!

So the funny story goes her MIL only has organic fruity tea...we are both tea drinkers but good old Earl Gray or Breakfast Blend.  Nothing fancy for us!  Since we are 'normal' tea drinkers (not to offend those who drink other kinds) she started to carry a baggie with her with tea bags and sugar, she was ready to go.  She takes that baggie everywhere. 

I recieved this sewing calender (find it here) for Christmas and one of the days was a tea wallet holder! Could you believe it, guess who instantly came to mind...you guessed it B! She NEEDED one.  I had to make it in a sunny yellow (her fav.)  And so I did.  The directions were super easy! I just loved the way it came out-I hope she loved it and will enjoy it.

Tea Wallet (christyscreations.com-Sewing Calendar 2010)
Supplies:
Fabric (four 5-7" pcs)
Interfacing (one 5x7" pc)

Step 1: Attached interfacing to the wrong side of one of the fabric pcs.
Step 2: Fold two other rectangles (will be the pockets) in half legthise and iron.
Step 3: Topstitch the folded edge of your pocket fabrics.
Step 4: Measure 1" up from the bottom of the right side of your interior fabric and pin the bottom of your first pocket into place.

Step 5: Sew along the bottom of your first pocket.

Step 6: Line your second pocket up with the bottom of your interior fabric and pin.

Step 7: Sew along the bottom of your second packet

Step 8: With an erasable fabric pencil mark the center of your pockets and interior fabric. If you've cut your fabric exact this will be 3.5"

Step 9: Sew this line.

Step 10. Place ribbon on either sides to create the ties (in the original they used a button) this should be between the two main layers.

Step 11: Sew the pcs together leaving a 2-3" hole in the bottom of your wallet (right sides facing each other)

Step 12: Turn wallent right side out.

Step 13: Iron

Step 14: Top stitch around the wallet very close to the edge and closing the opening.

Step 15: Insert tea bags, close, tie bow and Ta Da you have a lovely tea wallet.

So go ahead make a Tea Wallet and enjoy a cup of hot tea with your bestie!

(sorry the picture quality is so bad we were in the middle of Eddie Bauer trying on silly hats and I took it with my cell!)

T.

Linking up at:

Linking up

Happy Monday, I am linking up at Skip to My Lou's "Made by you Monday's". Check out these great links!

Happy Birthday Mema (and Steve)

Friday was my husbands birthday and the kids and I made him these:

They are his favorite, he is not a fan of cake-yummo! Happy Birthday!

And...

Mema's (my grandmother) birthday is tomorrow-she is very difficult to buy for, she turned 79!  Its amazing all that she has gone through in her life, she is one of my heros.  I made her a quilted table runner, took her some fresh spring flowers and lunch.

Love you Mema!

The colors stem from the flowered square-purple and greens, I just instantly thought of her once I saw it.  The picture doesn't do the colors justice, the purple is so deep, like a plum.

I hope she loved it.

Happy Sunday,

T.

Sweet Calendar Girl

Happy Sunny Friday! Can you believe it, Spring is here (ok, so they are calling for some snow next week...but I am holding out!).  I have my windows open, fresh breeze coming in, kids playing with sidewalk chalk and their swing set! Yes!

The project I did this week stems from a few things. One I live in a raised ranch and I am finally getting around to decorating the entrance way-its only been 3 years- I started with a large display of different sized and shaped black letter D's on the wall.  And now thanks to Mr. Weatherman I am going to paint this small green corner table I have black this weekend, yes things are shaping up nicely.  But, I need something to put on the table.  (I am trying to avoid spending a lot of money due to our vacation this year).  I went to Michaels bought a dollar unfinished picture frame, painted it black. And that was the start!  Then I made different pictures/sayings for each month of the year with my scrapbook paper! I am an avid scrapbooker, I have just lost my way.  I have a TON of stuff, why not use it for...something. That is just what I did. Check out the pictures below. Its the same frame just swap out the picture. The best part...the little table has a small drawer just big enough to store the extras in! Yeah! Cute and functional!

The months are:

Janurary: Snow

February: Valentine's Day

March: St. Patricks Day

April: Easter

May: Spring

June: Flowers

July: 4th

August: Summer

September: Fall tree

October: Halloween

November: Thanksgiving

December: Christmas

There you have a calendar of sorts! (and if you go away signing calendar girl-sorry-I have been!) I have many projects in the works-happy weekend everyon!

T.

Linked up.

Hello everyone. I am linking up today to Jenn's very first Tot Tuesdays Mcklinky Party at Delicious Ambiguity.  Check it out very cute ideas! Thanks for recommending me Jenn!

Have a great day!

T

Color My World

My son is just over 18 months, so now is the time that his little brain is a sponge and will soak up knowledge left and right.  I wanted a fun way to help him learn his colors that was also portable.  I made him this quilt book. It took about a hour to do. I started with buying 1/4 yard of different fabrics.  I tried to get different textures and patterns for eye appeal.  I actually even used some ribbon!  It was so much fun to pick out crazy patterns.

First step is to sew different fabrics together, this part doesnt matter too much on size and placement, once the squares are sewn together trim them to be 8x8-after all the hemming and putting the "binding" on it will be about 6x6 which is perfect for little hands!

Trim off any extra fabric to make them exactly  8x8.  Figure out what order you want your book to go in, I was very creative and did the old ROYGBIV(well sort of) My colors were Red, Orange, Yellow, Green Blue and Black & White.   As you can see I choose some really fun fabric, I figure this was the time I could! (I secretly heart the yellow lemons!)

With the right sides facing each other sew a hem, about a 1/4-1/2"around THREE sides, leaving one open.  This side will be where the binding will go to hold the book together-my combos were:

Bundle 1: Front cover (just a blue striped fabric-you will soon see) and the red square

Bundle 2: Orange and Yellow

Bundle 3: Green and Blue

Bundle 4: Black & White with the back cover (same as front)

Flip right sides out.

Next up is to make the Binding, pile the squares on top of each other in the order you want them sewn.The binding should be a piece of fabric about 4 inches wide and 8 inches long.  You fold over one of the long edges like in the picture and slide it under your pile of pages.

Next fold over the sides to cover the pages to hold them secured.  See arrows.

Final step of the binding is to fold the remaining fabric over, my too about three times, which I was fine with so I had a fatter binder. Sew a straight line about 1/4 inch in to secure the pages. (right were the pin is)  Remember this is what is holding the book together so make it  a pretty and strong line.

And enjoy your book. Here are pictures of the book with the pages flipped so you can see all the pretty colors!

In retrospect I wish I would have done more colors, like purple, pink, but maybe next time.   I am currently working on a counting soft book for PJ.  I hope he loves it just as much as I do!

Happy sewing.

T.

Headband Idea

I finally found it again, it took forever but Blue Cricket Design.net has a great tutorial for these headbanks!  http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/2010/03/rolled-felt-headband.html

Thanks Blue Cricket Designs!!!!

An Embellishment (headband) for A

Fun, exciting, embellished headbands are all the rage!  And lets face it have A LOT of felt left over from the felt house project. I would love to be able to wear them, but lets face it I am not really a stylish lady...pretty ordinary.  And I like it!  However, I can live via Alyvia...so she has recieved her very first embellished headband!  Yeah! I think that I was way more excited that she was.  Maybe with time that will change, lets hope so since I had so much fun making this!

Supplies: 12" by 1/2" strips of felt for the big "roll" and then shorten for the smaller ones, hot glue, and a headband.  ~I used one that was not her favorite, I asked first, just incase~

Step 1:

Cute the felt into long small strips-enough for all the "rolls" you want to make.

Step 2: Bend over the edge and hot glue to hold to start the roll, and just roll, pull tight, roll, pull tight...you get the idea there. Once you come to the end add a dab of hot glue to hold the end secure.

Step 3: Pick the color you would like for the back of the head band and glue the rolls together and to the backing.

Step 4: Very tricky=cut out around the rolls to make one large "unit".

Step 5: Place a line of glue along the back of the felt piece and stick the head band on and hold it until its dry. 

Step 6:  Cut a small thin piece of felt to cover the headband piece.

Step 7: Place on your model and admire!

You can find a world of information about headbands on so many blogs, I have a few favorite ones, which I will find tomorrow and link them up!

T.

Sewing Machine here I come!

Happy Monday everyone!

This weekend I have cut, Cut, and CUT many projects out.  I am getting ready for a sewing fest!  I trimmed out Alyvia's spring dress, cut some cute felt food, a present for B (she doesn't what it is yet), measured out some plans for a surprise for Alyvia, prepared/drew out some "toys" for the beach traveling (I know its months away but I am a planner)....I have been busy my poor little hands are tired from all that measuring and scissor use!  Getting ready I made myself a little pin cushion. I will not tell a lie I previously had my pins in a recycled box and everytime I went to get one, yep, I stabbed myself. I said NO MORE.  I have a lot of baby food jars left, I have given some away, used some for lunches, but have many left, what a perfect storage container for them and the top, well I can make the perfect little cushion for them...so I did! This was so easy!

Supplies: clean baby food jar, a piece of felt cut into a circle (about 8"), hot glue, fun ribbon

Next cut a circle pc of felt, weave a needle with floss on it and then... pull tight to make your 'ball' and stuff!

Place on top of the baby food and hot glue, pick some super cute ribbon and hot glue around the top of the lid, be very careful NOT to glue the top on.

Finished Project-Pins on top

and store them inside!

Have a great day, will post a few other things soon!

T.

Dreaming of the beach

While it is snowing, cold, bitter, and blowing all around, what is a better thing to do than book your summer vacation! Yes sir, that is what I did over the weekend. I booked our summer vacation at the beach, and it must have been a sign when on my way home from the store I heard "Under the Boardwalk".  We (my DH and I) first went to the beach together on our honeymoon and we have been back every year since, this will be our 10th year.  I can hardly believe it.  There are so many things that I love about the beach-first; the ocean, I love that smell as we get closer the salt water, second; the boardwalk, there are so many awesome things to do there and so many people from all walks of life, third; shopping!  Who can resist outlet malls and specialty shops...not I.  I can feel the sun on my back and the sand between my toes!  How many more months....until then:

The view of the coastline from a priate ship (yes a priate ship)-"ahoy maties"

Can you hear the waves crashing? And the smell of the ocean?

My kids are scared of these little guys!

And their little foot prints.

Dear beach, we will meet again...soon!