Crafty Sewing of Last Minute Gifts

My Winter Wonder Pal (Secret Santa) at work saw that I had always wanted a sewing room Christmas tree so she made me a kit to put one together.  Super thoughtful gift!  Then after work Friday I went to sew with Barb and she gave me one she had from a guild tabletopper.  I took off a few of the things on it (they had paper quilts that didn't do well with time) and started throwing a few things on it.  I plan to get out the hot glue and really do it up right, but most likely not this year.

Barb also made and gifted me these cool handtowels.  I buy a few each year at the craft sale so I am well stocked now.  I brought over the two cool, old red buttons (and some others for the other towels she was making) and she put them on.

Today I woke up and thought I should whip up some of the Simple Bags for Suli's twins who are now three!  I love my little tool for making the handles.  I have lots of tools and gadgets that I never seem to use, but this one has helped me alot!

 The pattern for this bag is in this book. It is my favorite go to bag and I put crayons, color book, and a deck of cards in the bag and it makes a good gift.

 Ollie (twins' older brother) already has a bag so I made him (and Colton) a pillowcase with hot wheels and flames on it.  They are folded up here but you get the idea.

 We are going to my brother Sam's tomorrow for the Christmas Eve festivities.  I made a TON of chex mix for us to eat and to gift to everyone today.  I overdid it a bit as I am still easily tired.  We had to go to Costco and Fry's Grocery so it was more walking and standing then I am good with now.  By four-ish I was in bed and planning to take it easy tomorrow. 
Every year Kathy and I bring a puzzle to work on at Christmas...my family winds up stopping over to help and eventually they all get really into it.  This year my sister was all excited to tell me she found a Packer puzzle for us to do.  Then a week later my mom said she found a puzzle with three different size pieces to the kids can help too.  Cannot wait to see which one we wind up doing!  I sent Coleman and his family in Ohio a puzzle with a camping theme so he can continue our puzzle tradition.  He called to thank me and seemed excited about it. 

Pears and Greens!

Tonight Kathy and I are going to my co-worker and friend Christine's surprise birthday party!  She doesn't read my blog so I don't think my post will spill the beans.  I wanted to make something for her as she is a great friend, good listener, even better with advice and we have shared plenty of tears and even more happiness.  This picture doesn't really show that the top of the bag is actually a shade of orange not yellow.  Christine always carries her lunch to work in a bath and body type bag and schleps it around all day (as most of us do) so I thought this might work as a lunch bag for her that can be shoved in her purse after lunch is consumed.  Or she can use it for whatever.  It is the Simple Bag pattern from "Last Minute Patchwork Gifts" book.  It is a go to bag for me.  As always, I made two so someone else will likely get the other one some time this year.  Love that pear fabric!

 I bought a new vege container so I could bring veges to the party (so there will be something there I can eat!) and discovered it was missing one of the side red handles.  Will be getting one from Wal-Mart or they will be taking this back.  I took a picture for proof, lol!

*edit* Here is a picture of Christine and I at her party!

I ran and got my hair highlighted and trimmed (I really needed it!) and then I set out to sew the two green blocks I needed to get to (now I am blogging and I really need to get ready for this party as soon as I am done!) so here is Dakota Farmer.  I love the green grasshopper that found his way into this block!

 And this is Indiana Puzzle, which since it is in Packer colors is awesome too!  (Is anyone else dying for football season to get going?)

 And here are my first three blocks.  Linking up to SoScrappy for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Go check out what everyone is up to in green!

Potpourri of Projects!

Tada the binding is all done on this NYE mystery quilt designed by Ann B. Smith. DJ's sister Samantha will be getting this for her soon to be born baby.

I was in the mood to finish up some of the many things that were building up as WIP...they were small but it was nice to get some of them done. I added some fleece (from Michelle) to the back of this doggie quilt and it is in our room for Bug now. I also finished the quilting on one I was using that never got completly quilted!

I added a final row to this Eye Spy that I started at Quilt Camp. A few of the added squares were from little pieced Michelle gave me too. I really love this one little orange square with cowboys on it! I cut up extras and added them to the Eye Spy squares and hexies I have cut too. We then backed this with corderoy type fabric that I bought online by accident...thought I was getting cotton! I have blue just like it. I don't have hardly any batting so I didn't add any. It is like a heavy blanket and will do just fine. DJ is tying this quilt while I type (YAY!).

I also added the backing to this doggie quilt and quilted it. I think my sister will be getting this one for her birthday for her chihuauas. (backing from Michelle!)

I added backing to this doggie quilt too though I haven't quilted it yet. That is what I did on Saturday! Then we went to the Diamondbacks vs. Twins game for the first time!

Today we did a whirlwind of grocery shopping...we have learned to "ad match" to make things easier. Anyway we can to save a buck. We have taken to labeling all the food so Coleman doesn't eat it all in five minutes. (I am serious.) Then we made Jimmy Deans and Biscotti. Finally I was free to get some sewing in...we have a birthday party next weekend to go to for Tommie (one of our Deaf friends) and we decided to make her a bag from this book.

I have made this bag several times before and am always pleased with it. My bias tape maker is a HUGE help in making the handles. (in case you aren't tired of hearing it, the plaid fabric is from Michelle!)

We were going to make two, but we cut one piece two extra and decided to just go ahead and make four. I now have three Christmas gifts ready to go! I love that feeling!

Tomorrow Kathy is supposed to come over to do some more cutting and I might get to sew before work, life is good.

A Few More Finishes!

Remember this little cross stitch ornament? I finally got it stuffed and the bottom closed (don't look too closely it is homey stitching lol) but it is done! I love it!

Randy was bummed yesterday because he had car issues and it is costing him 1100 bucks to get his car fixed. So he is not floating in the money and it is his granddaughter's birthday. I offered to use some leftover fabric in my stash to whip her up a little purse/bag and stuff it with some odds and ends I have in my gift cupboard. He is at work now, but hopefully when he gets home he will be cheered. She is six and I am sure she will be happy with it and not notice he didn't spend 50 dollars. He spoiled her and her siblings at Christmas so hopefully she will like this.

While I was at it I made a second one for the cupboard. Kathy's niece will most likely wind up with it next November when she turns six!

The pattern was from "Last Minute Patchwork and Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson. It is called "simple bag" on page 40 and is the first pattern I have used from this book! I am thinking about making some of the bird ornaments or Peanut, the wee elephant too! Go here http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Peanut+the+wee+elephant&gbv=2 to see some cute images of that elephant! Maybe I can make one of those for Ben for Easter to remind him always of Reba the elephant!

Other than that I did some bluework on the "One Penny" panel and have laundry going...and did some house cleaning. The weather is gorgeous, doors and windows are open and the sun is shining. Have I mentioned how much I love Arizona in January?