Jane & Sally Apron

I made the apron I was so inspired by from a previous post! I did it almost exactly the same but used different fabrics. The version Emily is wearing is the Big Sister size and it's huge around the neck. The ties could actually be a little longer but they are fine.

Emily was mimicking her buddy Brandon (hi Brandon).

A close up of the fabrics and scallop which was very easy to put the bias tape around. I didn't alter anything by the way except to line it before I quilted the straight lines. The pattern does not show a patchwork version so I cut about 45-50, 4" blocks. Sewed a big square then laid the pattern on it and cut. You use the leftover scraps for the strap. I think the bias tape is single fold and you use almost the whole package.

And here it is on the kitchen floor so you can see it flat.

The name of the pattern is Jane & Sally Apron from Indygo Junction.

Oh, and these pictures are after it was washed and dried. The pattern was OK, I mostly skimmed the instructions and looked at the photos. The person I got the idea from said the pattern sucked and it did sort of. They don't even put how many pieces you're supposed to cut on each pattern piece. So I was confused about the strap but I also skimmed so maybe it was just me. I'm REALLY happy with it and I love it on Emily!

Not so much.. (Felt Bat Garland)

I don't think I like it that much. It's definitely not how I pictured it would be.

I was going to add more bats but got discouraged because it's just not that cute.
Boo whoo.

I got the idea for the way the bat would look from this blog, domesticali.

I see now that her bats are taller and not as squat as mine.

Floor Pillows and Dinosaurs

When Emily was about one I made this round yellow floor pillow with the intention of making the other sizes. Well...how many years later? I finally made the next size down! The yellow one measures about 27" across and the pink is about 23".

This fabric has fairy's on it and I have it in blue,

green and a fuchsia which will be the other sizes.

It has handles.. and the cover is removable (a zipper).

I got the idea from these Land of Nod pillows.

About 4-5 years ago I bought this wall display box (one for me and one for my sister) from Pottery Barn. Her and I used to send each other A LOT of postcards and this is where we each kept ours.

I hadn't had mine hanging up in a long time because I barely have wall space in my bedroom so I took out all the postcards and filled it with dinosaurs and other animals.

I had originally wanted to put all my rubber duckies in it and hang it on the bathroom wall but the ducks were just too big. And now I have no wall space there either!

These fit perfectly and I love it! I'm wondering if you could make one yourself?

Out of a shadow box...remove the top frame?

Felt Leaf Garland & Princess and the Pea

I made this Happy Thanksgiving Leaf Garland yesterday. I'm SO pleased with it!
The pictures are not so great though. 1st, when I went to hang it I discovered my shear curtains were dirty and discolored from the windows being tipped at the top. So I had to take them down and wash them (the reason there is no curtains in the pictures) and I couldn't get steady, non-blurry photos while standing on a bar stool. Does anyone have a magic trick for cleaning very delicate sheer pleated curtains? They are off white (they are the ones you liked from Pottery Barn, Jess!).

I used all acrylic felt because I had no idea if this would even turn out. I also used the die-cut machine at work to cut out the letters, maple leafs, pumpkin and turkeys. The other leaves were from here.

I sewed them all to a very dark green satin ribbon. Each item is actually two, with the ribbon sandwiched in between then sewn to make them less floppy. It was all very easy but time consuming as it's a lot of sewing! I used a lot of thread. I 1st sandwiched each leaf/turkey, etc. over the ribbon, sewed them down, then went back and sewed the details on each one then went back and sewed all the letters on.

It would have been better if the whole things was larger but then I couldn't have used the die-cute machine and that cut down a lot of the work I had to do!

Below is a photo my brother Jeff took that made it to the cover of this magazine!!

How cool is that?

He is a published skydiving photographer (with over 2000 jumps I think. Could be more by now). He videos and photographs tandem jumps in Lake Oswego, Oregon where he lives.

Colin made this t-shirt for Mary's son Nicolas. How flippin cute is this???

It was done using a template (his original design) made from freezer paper.

*****

Some Princess and the Pea inspiration below (with an apron thrown in).

I just got this princess and the pea embroidery pattern today! HOW CUT IS THIS?????

I LOVE this child's apron! It's from lizzy inspired on flickr (and nothing to do with princess and the pea, it just got out of place when i loaded pics)

Princess and the pea quilt from Moda Bake Shop. I like this quilt except for the ruffle and I think I'd do the mattresses more wonky and of different thicknesses.

I love this quilt. It's by someone on flickr, didn't write down who but I know you'll find it in the Heather Ross pool. I have all this princess and the pea/far far away fairytale fabric just waiting for a similar quilt.

mini quilt clothes line

All the cute pumpkins and gourds we picked up at the pumpkin patch.

My new hanging tags for bibs and aprons. I reworked them and made a separate one "For Kids". I'm very very happy with them!

I FINALLY put up some more mini quilts in the bathroom. I think it's OK and not too much...

I never blogged about the middle darker one. Corinnea made that for me:)

some new aprons for the store

My new super cute bag! I got it at one of those jewelry/accessory stores in the

Schwabengalerie.

Emily wouldn't sit still and model it for me.

Emily and Emilee on our walk to Kaufland yesterday.

Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Patch 2009

**pioneer woman: sunshine

click on all photos to enlarge

We visited the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Patch yesterday.

**pioneer woman: sunshine

It was such a gorgeous day.

**pioneer woman: sunshine

Our camera decided to not work properly so

we had to use the little pink camera for most of the photos.

**pioneer woman: boost

Ava was...out of control and wore both me and Jon out.

**pioneer woman: heartland

I used different photo shop actions on all of these photos except the last one that has me in it and the collage. I'm not posting any crafty stuff but I feel OK about it because the photos are altered and maybe someone can be inspired to do the same:)

**pioneer woman: boost

We have taken a photo of Emily on this mushroom every year. The palace has been doing this pumpkin fest for 10 years now and we've gone to it 5 years in a row. Kind of cool.

I think Ava looks so much like my sister here on the mushroom.

This years theme at the pumpkin fest was fairy tales. The above collage is most of the gourd/pumpkin sculptures (for lack of a better word).

The front of the palace..

normally when we go they have had or are having

pumpkin races on that pond in huge hallowed out pumpkins. It's really cool.

the only picture of me that was decent. Except it looks like I'm wearing a fanny-pack:)