little gi

use it or loose it...

i was searching for images this morning & came upon this layout i did last year for the pencil lines book and it brought back a lot of fond creating memories. 

i remember when i finished it i was so proud of it and had really enjoyed the whole creative process.  it was created solely from the bits & bobs that laid out on my desk.  it was a kind of a self-imposed "use it or loose it" challenge and it was so fun pulling it all together.  i always tend to save everything (like that teeny strip of blue & white striped fabric) from projects...it's a sickness really.

& now that i think of it, i've imposed that sort of "make something out of what is laying out on the desk" challenge quite a few times and really loved the results.  these other projects come to mind...

& there are a bunch more now that i come to think of it.  seems i create best when there are few options or the necessity to clean. :)

it's been quite a while since i've had that creative rush...especially with scrapbooking.  i do have a messy fabric bin to contend with...

hmmm...maybe the creative bug will strike?

happy thursday!

xoxo

gi

she's been busy...

a bit ago i had posted about kelly jumping full into sewing.  she really surprised me actually...doing it all by herself, only asking me a few times for help.  she just sat & worked her little fingers away cutting & stitching.   reading the directions in her "sewing school" book & then carefully choosing fabrics and thread colors she wanted to sew up.

it was so cool to watch her learn something & take to it so well.  and the fact that she did it so independently, requiring no hovering from me was even better.

she actually woke me up one day during spring break with a gadget pouch all sewn up for mike asking me to help her just fix the final knot securely.  the girl had done the ENTIRE thing on her own early in the morning before any of us got up.  doing the whole right sides together thing, stitching the seams closed & then turning it all inside out so the raw edges were inside thing....a buttonhole matched right where the button was...i mean this girl followed the pattern to the letter and it looked fantastic.  i was like "wha???  you've done the whole thing already?  get out!"  so awesome...

so then i set her loose in our old clothes to be donated pile & she whipped up 2 pillows out of T-shirts + one pillow made from her favorite fabrics (complete with a felt pocket for the tooth fairy).

and her favorite project is her little monster, zoey.  made from one of ryan's old polo shirts and an old tank top.  adorable & gets lots of loving that is for sure.  (hence the frayed ric rac smile...reminds me of one of our favorite stories "that rabbit belongs to Emily Brown" :)

kinda makes me want to get some of my sewing projects completed.  it's been a busy spring, but watching her having so much fun has inspired me to get back to it!

happy thursday!

xoxo

gi

 

she's caught the sewing bug...

i picked up this book on a lark, thinking it sounded like a pretty good little gift that kelly would enjoy.  well...."enjoy" is putting it very lightly.  she LOVES it!

it arrived in the post at about 10 am & by lunch she already had read the beginning lessons about sewing & gathered her supplies to create her own sewing kit.  by 4pm she had made a sweet apple pincushion, a needlebook with a button closure and a little pillow for her doll jane. 

yep...methinks she likes it :)

this morning she is back at it, creating a little monster out of too small T-shirts she found in the donate bin.  holy moly it is looking CUTE so far! 

happy sewing!

xoxo

gi

 

sewing with kids: lesson 1

whipstitch is running a blog feature this year:  sewing with children.  we all were anxious for it to start and had so much fun completing lesson 1. 

lesson 1 is a simple craft with the emphasis being on "patience".  ahhhhhh.....yep....we need some patience around here BIG TIME so this was a perfect way to start.  just as mentioned in the lesson...don't underestimate just how much fun you can have & how much you can learn with this simple craft.  we all had a great time creating & mixing colors when dying the pasta and then fiddling with pattern & color when threading our necklaces. 

everyone's necklaces turned out so wonderful & we all loved wearing them.  don't they look fantastic!  & we, of course, had one for kelly when she came home from her playdate & one for mike when he came home from work. :)

really looking forward to lesson 2!!

happy wednesday!!

xoxo

gi

totally spoiled :)

I really don't know what i did to deserve such generosity...but i received such lovely gifts from friends this Christmas. 

my sweet ker sent me the prettiest package of divine salt caramels & the cutest ever measuring tape.   isn't it just adorable???  makes me want to measure everything now, rather than just wing it...lol  & the beautiful seam binding...oooh i'm gonna have some fun with that for sure :)  thank you ker!!!

& the gorgeous mel & i were secret santa partners at tarisota.  it is just so much fun & i really loved opening her gift Christmas morning (per the strict rules...it was so hard to wait!!!!)  it is just so special recieving a handmande gift isn't it?  you can tell how much love and thought was put into it.  mel made me the prettiest journal & i just absolutely adore it.  it really makes me smile every time i look at it.

she also sent along the prettiest fabric coasters (that i LOVE!  & needed so badly!  lol!  they have been on my "to make" list forever! lol!) & the sweetest fabric along with a fabric shopping bag, some chocolates & a sweet little chocolate soap treat.  such a wonderful package for sure!

see???  told you i was spoiled!!! ah!  that fabric!!!  can't wait to use it! 

ahh....i'm so lucky to have such fantastic & super generous crafty friends :)  super blessed for sure :)

hope you have a happy wednesday!

xoxo

gi

first of many feltie friends :)

 

we got kelly the Felties: How to Make 18 Cute & Fuzzy Friends book for Christmas.  it's a HUGE hit :)

yesterday she sewed the little bunny for her blythe, jane.  it turned out so cute!  the little patterns are super adorable & it will give her the opportunity to develop her stitching & embroidery skills. she's already marked a bunch more to sew for her other dolls, her friends & kate & ryan. 

i really like the fact that the projects can be completed pretty quickly too, i think that is important when crafting with kids.  there needs to be a payoff or else you can loose their attention.   & when we've got enough little feltie friends, we can always use the patterns to decorate the covers of little journals & needle books & bookmarks & little sachet pillows....these cute little patterns can be used in so many ways!  gotta love that :)

so i guess it is a good thing that there is over 2 feet of snow outside....gives us more time for hot chocolate & crafting!

happy tuesday!

xoxo

gi

foxy, take 2 :)

well, i'm happy to report that foxy was a big hit....a BIG hit. 

actually, she was such a huge hit with kelly's friend, that i got a call late one night asking if i would please make another for her little sister and one for her little cousin.  :)

of course!!!! 

so here is foxy's little sis for lil' sis :)  she is a bit different with a button nose & a flower broach rather than a scarf. 

the pink fabric i used for her face & tail (& the back of her ears) is from a pink linen skirt that had been kelly's & now kate has outgrown. the fabric is so soft & pretty...& it is really rewarding to repurpose it in these toys.  i'm a big fan of stretching a buck :)

*fingers crossed she likes it*

hope you are having a happy monday....errr...happy tuesday!!

xoxo

gi

p.s.  foxy is made from the finnegan fox pattern available at bit of whimsy.  enjoy!!

late to the party...

yellow is one of my favorite colors, so when i saw this site i went "yipee!!!!". 

it's a whole site full of great tutorials & inspiration about creating with yellow!  there's a flick'r group too!

think this flower will be the first project i try.  thinkin' it will look so cute on my grey cardi that i literally wear every single day.  

happy wednesday!

xoxo

gi

W.I.P.s....

i finally sewed up my little tomato pincushion from the launch party for martha's book back in april! 

the line for the make & take had been so long, so my friend & i just tucked our supplies in our purses to make at home.  problem was, the supplies sat there...unmade.  it felt good to finally put the little cutie together.  it was super quick to sew up & i'm thinking now of adjusting the stem to pumpkin-like & making a bunch of them for a little harvest centerpiece.  

another "WIP" around here involves this:

i'm really looking forward to snuggling up on the couch & crocheting some granny squares.  today is chilly & damp...perfect snuggling & crochet weather :)   hopefully i'll have some to share this week!

& i'm really looking forward to thursday morning when i take my first "learn to knit" class.  i've learned 2x before, but have promptly forgotten everything.  i'm really looking forward to graduating from the reaaaaaaalllllly loooooooooong scarf this time and actually tackle a pattern.  my instructor has assured me that she'll get me reading patterns in no time...i can't wait!!

which means i'd better get going on this gorgeous stitching tote from janelle's amazing book:

 

gotta have something to tote around my needles & yarn in style :)

hope you are having a happy tuesday!

xoxo

gi

a big hug & then farewell to foxy...

meet foxy :)

i know the photos are a bit blurry (we've got a dreary rainy day here today) but isn't she just so cute! 

foxy is a gift for one of kelly's best friends who is celebrating her birthday today.  so i sewed up foxy from a bit of whimsy pattern and kelly knitted her beautiful scarf.   we think she turned out fabulous! 

i love her tail the best i think

 

and her adorable face

 

it was so sweet...as i was sewing her up, kelly kept squealing "i just can't wait to hug her!" as the bits of fabric came together.  & that's exactly what happened. the second i finished attaching her tail, i immediately passed her off to kelly & she gave her a huge hug.  "oh she is just so snuggly, mommy!!"  kate (as patiently as she could...lol) waited in line next to give her a big "katie hug".   (ryan didn't give hugs, but immediately placed an order for a "pirate fox"...lol)

what a lovely way to enter the world, don't ya think?  :)

now foxy is all wrapped in pretty pink tissue with a big pink bow tucked safely in kelly's school bag, awaiting the big birthday celebration later this afternoon.

so farewell foxy!   we know your new family will take good care of you & give you lots & lots more hugs.  

happy friday!!

xoxo

gi