New Aprons

Cross another thing off my crafty to do list. I finished this red apron for the Summer Fun Apron Swap. Red is my favorite color so I love this one. I've checked out my partner's blog and I think she likes red too. A few weeks ago I saw a clothespin apron that Tracey had made over at Itching 2 B Stitching. I liked the shape and the idea of the pockets. I wanted to make something a bit bigger so this is what I came up with. I used fabrics I already had for both of my aprons. With the price of gas a trip to the fabric store is costly!

I also made one for the Apron Angels that Lucy is coordinating. Nature Girl didn't want to be left out so she got in on the photo too.

I laid out the aprons to give another view of them. They are 28 inches wide and 20 inches long. Each apron was stitched to create two deep pockets. I made the ties extra long since I like to tie them in the front. Now I need to make one for me. Of course that's not on my crafty to do list, I should be crossing things off not adding them!!!

Crafty To Do List

After cleaning up my craft area and discovering several unfinished projects I've been motivated to catch up and create my crafty to do list. I've seen several other bloggers who put their to do lists on their blogs. I hesitated to do it since I tend to make a list, finish a few things on the list then forget about the rest. I've decided to post my list and cross my fingers. I hope to complete it or at least make a big dent in it! I've already made a bit of progress today. I finished a Jenny purse for my sister from Lola Again's tutorial. I also finished one apron today for the Apron Angels and started a second one for the Summer Fun Apron Swap. I hope to have pictures of both aprons tomorrow.

Here's what I'd like to accomplish by the end of June. Wish me luck!

2 Appliquéd wall hangings for my niece(already 3 months late.)
Apron for Apron Angels
Apron for Summer Fun Apron Swap
3 quilt blocks for my local quilt guild (June 11th)
Mother and daughter Gathering Aprons for my daughter and I
Sew a hand print tote bag as end of year gift for my daughter's teacher (by June 5th)
Complete two page layout and compile the class scrapbook (also end of year gift by June 5th)
Cat coin purse for my daughter
Jenny purse for my sister
Finish painting trim on my milk cans
Mini quilt for mini quilt trading swap

A New Hairdo

Before:Nature Girl has been asking for a couple of months to cut her hair. One of her friends has chin length hair, so Nature Girl wanted her hair cut the same way. She needed to be able to wear her hair up for her dance recital so I promised that after the recital she could cut her hair if she wanted. Well today was the day, so take one last look at Nature Girl's lovely locks.

After:

Nature Girl's new haircut. It's 7 or 8 inches shorter but it's still below her chin. I didn't mention it to Nature Girl but I looked into donating her hair to Locks of Love. They needed 10 inches of hair so we were a few inches short. Not to worry Nature Girl had her own idea of what to do with her hair. She wanted to save some of it to put outside so the birds could use it to make a nest. She scooped up a couple of handfuls of hair off the floor and stuffed it in an envelope for the birds. The rest of her hair was swept up and saved for another client who will use it in her garden. It seems like a perfect use for Nature Girl's hair.
She's very happy with her new hair cut! We think she's beautiful whether she has long hair or short hair but the new cut is cute. It makes her look older. Our baby is growing up so quickly!

Completing the Unfinished

Nature Girl had school today and my husband had to go into the office. The house was quiet so I set to work this morning on one of the unfinished projects I discovered while cleaning up my craft area. First up, the heart stitchery I made as an anniversary gift for my friend MB. MB is my friend and my neighbor. We are fortunate to have fabulous neighbors! It turns out our anniversaries are two weeks apart so I stitched up the heart before her anniversary but didn't know what to do to finish it so I set it aside. While cleaning the other day I found it and had an inspiration to turn it into a mini quilt. It's only eight months late but I'm happy to say it's finally complete and in the arms of it's new owner. I didn't think to measure it but I'd guess it's about 12" by 16". The muslin was stitched, painted and then coffee stained. There are a few thrifted fabrics included. . . you know I love all things thrifted!
Mini quilt update: Kristie received the Mother's Heart mini quilt today. She sent a nice e-mail to say she was happy with the quilt and the cloth napkins I sent. I'm very relieved and pleased to know she liked them!

Long Weekend

Having the long weekend together was very nice! We got some projects done around the house and yard and we enjoyed a BBQ with friends. The weather was beautiful and Nature Girl dug out her new bathing suit to run through the sprinklers. When that got old we talked her into riding on her Gator. The Gator was a gift from her grandparents a year and a half ago. Nature Girl has never ridden on it. The only thing she would do was sit on the seat and honk the horn. The other kids who come to play love it but she wouldn't ride in it or drive it. We finally decided it was a waste of garage space and started talking about getting rid of it. Today she decided she was big enough to try it(really even her 2 year old cousin loves it so she's plenty big enough.) She had a blast with it!
While Nature Girl drove around under Dad's supervision I worked on organizing my craft space. I spent hours working on it. It isn't done yet but I made a big dent in it. While I cleaned up I sorted fabric and put together the fabric for my fabric swap partners. I have to tell you choosing the fabric was harder than I thought it would be. First of all I don't know my partners and had just a short description of what they liked. One wanted kid fabrics, reds and blues and the other wanted cottons or linen. It was hard to choose which fabrics too send. I have no idea if either of them will like what I choose for them. I tried to pick things I liked and things I had larger pieces of. I have my notions picked out and just need to package it all up sometime this week. I thought so hard about what fabric to send that I forgot that I'll be getting fabric too. I feet a little bad that I didn't give a description of what I like for fabric for my partners but in hindsight maybe it's easier to pick fabric not knowing. One thing I did discover is that I have quite a few unfinished projects to work on. Looking through all of my fabric also made me think of a few more projects I want to try. I guess I better finish organizing my craft area before I get to work on all of those projects.

Creative Process

I don't know about you but for me my creative process usually includes a mess! This morning I decided to throw together a bag for a boy in Nature Girl's preschool class. It's meant to be a nature bag to hold binoculars and treasures from a nature hike. Nature Girl got one from Miniswap 3. Christie from Mama Said Sew made the cutest nature bag for her. I can't find it at the moment to take a picture but that was my inspiration for this bag. I cut the legs off a pair of men's corduroys and used that to create the bag. This is the mess on the floor while I was sewing. I'd like to say this mess is unusual for me but it's not, it's part of how I sew and create! I did get it all cleaned up before heading off to a BBQ this afternoon.

I hope that the bag doesn't look too girly. The lining is the blue fish material, so hopefully it's appropriate as a birthday gift for a 4 year old boy. We have a pair of binoculars and a bird watching book to put in the bag. If he does think it's too girly he has a sister who can use it and we're including a gift card to ToysRUs so he won't be left empty handed.
Enter Val's Give away. . . .
Remember Nature Girl's recycled jean apron? I was inspired to make that recycled jean apron after seeing Val's apron. Well guess what, Val is having a give away over at her blog Yarni Gras. She's giving away the apron or an ami book, so go enter now. I entered, I just love that strawberry apron!

ABC meme

Susan tagged me for an ABC meme, so here goes.

accent: no

breakfast or no breakfast: yes, toast with butter and a Coke to drink

chore I don't care for: washing dishes, putting away groceries and laundry

dog or cat: For me cats, but I love dogs if they belong to someone else.

essential electronics: computer & phone

favorite cologne: none too stinky!

gold or silver: both

handbag I carry most often: bags big enough to carry rocks for Nature Girl. I'm currently using the cherry bag I made for myself.

insomnia: Yes especially if I drink caffeine in the evening

job title: mom, wife

kids: one 4 year old daughter

living arrangements: just the three of us(my husband, daughter and I)

most admirable trait: I love to help and volunteer

naughtiest childhood trait: talking too much – yes, I'm still chatty!

overnite hospital stays: at 4years old I had tubes in my ears and when I had my daughter

phobias: snakes, things that cut flesh freak me out too

quote: Progress not perfection.

reasons to smile: Because I have a good life. I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful daughter and wonderful family and friends.

siblings: One older brother and two younger sisters.

time i wake up: Not until my child wakes up. Preferably after 8 or 9.

unusual talent or skill: I can't think of any right now.

vegetable I refuse to eat: radishes & I've never tried okra

worst habit: I can be obsessive about things(unfortunately that doesn't include cleaning!) I'm a perfectionist about my own work(not about the work of others, just me.)

x-rays: a few growing up

yummy stuff: caramel, chocolate, caramel brownie cheese cake, cookies, coke, chips, swiss cheese, extra sharp cheddar, bread, pasta,

zoo animal I like most: Giraffes -Have you ever seen a giraffe run? It's very graceful & elegant. And those long legs quickly cover the distance.

I haven't tagged anyone but if you'd like to play along consider yourself tagged!

Sorry no photo tonight. I worked on painting the milk cans today. By the time I was done painting, my arms, feet and hair all had red spray paint on them. I probably should have taken a picture of myself but I didn't. I hope to share pictures of the milk cans in a few days after the paint has dried and I put the finishing touches on them.