pants for lounging in and flowers from walks

I made myself some lounge pants from an old flat sheet. They are your basic drawstring pants and since I don't particularly care for photos of myself and hate to ask hubs to take them anyhow all you are going to get to see is a detail shot of the hem. Rather than hem them, I cut them out so the bottom of the leg came out as the decorative edge of the sheet.

The nice thing about old sheets is that they are completely worn in and very soft. They are also a nice light weight.

The girls and I try to take a walk every morning. We often pick flowers from along the trail.

Common lawn clover in a bottle that was once a salt or pepper shaker.

a really great idea: towel ponchos

I got the idea for these from Tiff at Making the World Cuter. She has a great tutorial posted - so you should definitely check her out.

Faces:

hanging towels

Yes, you've seen something that looks like these before. But, I have nothing else to share. We leave later this morning and I wanted to share one last thing before I go. So more hanging towels.

The one above is part of a matched pair that I did for my girl's former dance teacher. She is getting married this summer and everything in her house is black and white.

The day I gave these to her I felt like crap crafter of the universe because I sewed one of them backwards and did not have the time to fix it. I had several other big busts that week and was beginning to wonder why I bothered. Then along came K's halter top and I felt like I could conquer the world!!

These herb ones are for my Mom. I meant to give them to her when I saw her over Memorial Day weekend but do you think I remembered? You guessed it. Nope.

I got this ingenious idea from Get Your Craft On who got it from Trey and Lucy.

Off to Michigan. I will put up my "Looking for a Creative High" parties while I am gone but otherwise I will stay away. I should be posting again on June 20th. Have a good ten days, I will see you again soon.

Funky Denim Skirt

I am came up with the idea for this skirt when I was cutting up fabric for a denim throw. The skirt I was cutting up had some embroidery on the bottom and I was thinking how I could make a skirt for one of the girls incorporating the embroidery.

I decided to use one of C jeans which are getting too short for the waist. Then I did something I am surprised I've not seen others do. Rather than cutting it right above the crotch, I cut it below the crotch so this skirt has built in shorts (I am all about modesty for my two rather wild, rough and tumble girls).

While I was trying to decide where to find some finished fabric for the rest of the hem, I had a bright idea.

I actually rather like how the front turned out. The back where the embroidery is didn't turn out quite the way I expected. I ended up making some tucks that make it look like pants from the back rather than a skirt. I am not sure if I like that or not.

I had fun with this idea and love the surprise factor in it. I would like to experiment with it and make improvements on C's skirt next time. It was super quick, I bet it took less than half an hour to make.

I think that if you made a long skinny skirt it would be fun to add the zipper placket to the back for a kick pleat (for the record, I sewed the zipper closed).

Oops skirt

I made K a denim skirt to go with her halter top. The first version (above) was so tight we could barely pull it over her had so I redid it (below). Unfortunately, the photos really don't make the two variations seem different!!

I am afraid I was less than Christ-like the first Sunday she wore these to church. Our church has Sunday School between two services and we go to second service. When I picked her up for Church she was filthy. Her face had dirt on it, her clothes were dirty, her sandals super dusty and even muddy on the insole (she has very sweaty feet) and she had several scrapes including one on her shoulder.

They had taken the kids to the school playground to play since it was the last Sunday of 'regular' Sunday School.

They've done it in the past and it irritates me because my girls get their nice Sunday clothes filthy if they are given half a chance. I had to take K home and give her a quick bath and new clothes which means we missed worship and made it in time for the sermon. :)

I will probably post tomorrow and Tuesday and I will do my best to comment but we are leaving for a ten day trip to my sisters on Wednesday and so I may be a slacker. While we are gone I won't post anything but stuff that relates to my "Looking for a Creative High Party" and I won't comment.

Oh one more piece of business. I am a finalist in the Iron Crafter Competition!






They selected my Tin Can Purse as a finalist.

super-duper cute and easy pillowcase halter top

I bought this vintage pillowcase for two dollars at the thrift store yesterday. First I tried making a camisole and attaching it to a camisole to make a dress...I didn't at all like the way it looked. So I ripped it apart and this morning before I took my eldest to school I made this!!


I will write a tutorial and take pics when I make another one. Here is a brief description of how I did it. I measured around her just under her arms. I added two and a half inches to that length. I cut a band about 6-8 inches wide from big sister's worn out jeans. Folded it in half and made a tube which I then reversed.


I made two straps and sewed them against the back on the middle front.

Then I cut the pillowcase off to shirt length. Yesterday when I took the dress apart I discovered that the fabric is a bit fragile, so I made a nice wide triple thick hem on the top. I cut a access slit in the back which I hemmed and then reinforced with some gross grain ribbon. Then I made a gather stitch and gathered it to fit the band. I made sure that the medallion center of the pillow trim lined up with front and center. I sewed the pillow case to the top edge of the band so that it hangs out from underneath the band (does that make sense?)



I've been finding lots of handmade pillow case lace lately which I can find in baggies for less than a dollar. I cut some, used a tight zigzag to stop the raveling and then sewed it to the top front of the band.

Then I added a button hole and button and tada!!







I am sharing this at:

My Backyard Eden: Make it Yours Day

Its So Very Cheri: Spotlight Yourself

Nicki's Nifty Knacks: Getting Crafty on Hump Day

House of Hepworths: Hookin' Up HOH

The Train to Crazy: Make it, Wear it!

Fireflies and Jellybeans: Show off Your Stuff

Somewhat Simple: Strut Your Stuff

The Shabby Chic Cottage: Transformation Thursdays

Life as Lori: Get Your Craft On Thursday

Beyond the Picket Fence: Under $100 Linky Party

Under the Table and Dreaming: Sunday Showcase Party

Craft Envy: Saturday Spotlight

Along for the Ride: Saturday is Crafty Day

Finding Fabulous: Frugalicious Friday

Debbiedoos: Garage Sale Partay

Lit and Laundry: Finished for Friday

A Vision to Remember: Check Me Out Saturday







.

brilliant bandana bibs

Bandana is one of those words that just looks wrong when you type it. Hmph.

I found the tutorial for these absolutely brilliant bandana bibs at Wallflower Grown Wild.


I love them easy, super-cute and very practical!! I've gone nuts and bought loads of bandanas and towels to make these for nieces, nephews and whatever other babies come along. The blue-eyed boy you see here is the child of some friends. He just turned one a little over a week ago.

I had a photo shoot with him on Monday and he was the happiest...I only just started working on the photos but they are oh-so-adorable. This is from Tuesday when we went to his house for small group.





I am sharing this at:

The Train to Crazy: Make It Wear It

House of Hepworths: Hookin' Up w/ HOH

Fireflies and Jellybeans: Show Off Your Stuff

Somewhat Simple: Strut Your Stuff Thursday


Life as Lori: Get Your Craft on Thursday

Lit and Laundry: Finished for Friday

hanging kitchen towels

Don't forget to enter my CSN gift card giveaway!!

I got this ingenious idea from Get Your Craft On who got it from Trey and Lucy.


For all of us who don't crochet - this solves a problem. I made these for my MIL for her chicken themed kitchen.

Don't forget to enter my CSN gift card giveaway!!

I am sharing this at:

The Girl Creative: Just Something I Whipped Up

Between Naps on the Porch: Metamorphosis Monday

Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

These Creative Juices: Linky Party

Mother's Day Pillow

Don't forget to sign-up for my giveaway!!

This is what I spent a huge part of yesterday wasting spending my time working on. A pillow for my MIL for Mother's Day. I am thrilled with how it turned out. If you click on the image below you can read the text.




The first photos is one of my favorite photos of my husband as a child. He is at the dentist office and about to get a gold cap on one of his front teeth. The second photo is my husband now. I can't wait til my MIL sees it, she doesn't know he has a beard.


The burlap is recycled coffee bean bags. The front of the pillow is my first effort at printing a photo directly onto regular fabric. It was fun and I can see loads of potential projects from it. I sewed lace, and jute braid around the front and then I hand stitched down jute twine adding glass pearls as I went.

There are four different buttons in the corners from my button stash and I used lace to make three rosettes. I am really pleased with this and wish it were mine (text aside). :)

Don't forget to sign-up for my give-away.

I am sharing this at:



The Girl Creative: Just Something I Whipped Up

Between Naps on the Porch: Metamorphosis Monday

Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

These Creative Juices: Linky Party

My House of Giggles: Tuesday Talent Show

My Backyard Eden: Make it Yours Day

It So Very Cheri: Spotlight Yourself

I am Only One, but Still I am One: Check Me Out Saturday

Craft Envy: Saturday Spotlight

Finding Fabulous: Frugalicious Friday