Random Facts about Me!

Hi there!  Amy over at The Idea Room is hosting this link up party. 

(I tried to post the pretty button, but it wasn’t working…so use the links in the text to get there)

Sounds fun, and I’m stuck at home with icy roads today (in a place where it NEVER snows!), so I thought I’d write a few tidbits about me.

In late high school and early college I would never wear matching socks.  They were always bright colors, but  I always liked turquoise and hot pink worn together best.  The last year or so I’ve pretty much grown out of it, but when I need a bit of cheering up, I will put on a non-matching pair of socks! :)

I didn’t like pink until I was at least 18.  Now it’s one of my more dominant colors in my closest.

I thought sewing, cooking, and all that “domestic stuff,” was ridiculous until I started dating my husband.  I didn’t start sewing until a little over a year ago, and it quickly became my favorite hobby EVER.  I love how you can make anything, or alter clothing, specific to the way YOU want when you sew things yourself! :)

I play the clarinet, and love it.  I wish I could play the piano well enough to play for people to sing to.

In our 2.5 years of marriage, my husband and I have moved about 8 times.  (You stop counting at about move 5).  A good 2/3’s of our wedding gifts are in hubby’s parents basement.  We’ll open them up and use them when we buy a house…someday. :)

I like four wheeling with my husband, but can’t drive a stick shift to save my life. 

I love walking.  In high school I would walk to work in 110 degree weather just so I could walk. (I’m not nearly that crazy anymore!)

I love writing and receiving old fashioned letters.  And I love typing and writing…hence the blog. :)

Well I’m sure that’s more than enough about me!  I hope you all are enjoying a fabulous holiday season!

Grandview Bag

A few months ago I participated in the Purse Week Contest over at A Lemon Squeezy Home.  I loved looking at all the beautiful purses, and especially loved the winner’s design.  Thanks to Emily at The Boy Trifecta she made a tutorial for the Grandview Bag, and I decided that my sister would love one for Christmas.  I asked her what was important in a bag for her, and she gave me several suggestions.

She wanted a bag that was fancy,

with an adjustable strap,

a magnetic closure,

a key holder hook thingy,

and a inside zippered pocket!

Whew! That was enough to make me tired just thinking about it, but I went about gathering my supplies and went at it.  I’d never done an adjustable strap with hardware before, and was up for the challenge.  I had also never done a magnetic closure, but I knew I’d try for my sister.

I found the fabric at Joann’s, and then finally a few days before Christmas sat down and started working on the bag.

Here it is, all ruffled and fancy and ready to go!

Here’s a peek at the inside zippered pocket, magnetic snap, and the key hook.  I took the hardware off a broken strap to make it adjustable.  I used this tutorial to do the strap, and this tutorial for the magnetic strap.  Both tutorials were great and made the new “scary,” tasks very easy and manageable.  The tutorial for the bag is in two parts, so click here for part 1 and here for part 2.

Well there you have it, my handmade Christmas gifts for 2010.

Hostess Apron

Hi all!  Now that Christmas is over and I’ve given out gifts, I can show you what I’ve made!  One day my mom was talking about how cute the ruffle aprons were that EVERYBODY has now, and that she really wanted one!

I took that as a hint and began searching for patterns and tutorials.

And I found this one from sew4home

Then I found the lovely coordinating fabric at Hobby Lobby (how I will miss that store now that I’ve moved away!)

Here’s how it turned out for me:

My mom absolutely loves it!  She loves how the bib has enough coverage to protect her clothes from spills, and she loves the ruffles.  I felt that this tutorial was one that was okay to follow, but they left a few things out that super-beginner sewers may have trouble with.  If you’ve been sewing for a while, you’d be fine.  Thanks for reading and stay tuned for another Christmas gift very very soon!

Letters

Dear Christmas Break,

Thanks for finally coming.  I’m so glad.  You could’ve come a few weeks earlier, but I’m glad you’re here.  Thanks for the opportunity to relax and de-stress and unpack before I start student teaching in January.  I really look forward to blogging, sewing, reading, drinking hot chocolate, giving gifts, unpacking and hanging pictures, and enjoying being back in my hometown for good.  Please help me not to worry about the future semester (because I have a feeling it WILL be a bit crazy), but to just enjoy the break and to be happy.  (But I do have to say, that I will be excited when I can write a letter to summer and thank her for letting me graduate!)

Dear Santa,

Thanks for helping me learn that making things for others and giving gifts is something that is so enjoyable!  You have been making toys and gifts for years, and I’m glad I caught onto the magic you have created in the world. 

Dear fellow bloggers,

I know I’ve been gone, but I’m back for a bit!  Stay tuned for some fun refashions (of course), and some fun gifts I’ve finished up for family members.  Thanks for your support and comments!  It sure makes what I do more fun!

I'll be back!

1 week

7 days

2 large papers

7-10 assignments

1 video recording

2 days of preschool

1 class session

1 day of church

1 meeting with a professor

1 mandatory student teaching orientation meeting

1 move across the state

and I will be back, I promise!

~Lynette~

Blog Hop and a Giveaway!

How do you keep your home clean and holiday ready during this chaotic season?  What is your biggest holiday cleaning challenge?

For me, keeping my home has always been a challenge.  I've been married 2 years, with no kids yet, and it's still a challenge.  My husband works full-time, and I am a full-time college student.  My program keeps me running from 8:30am to 7:00pm some nights.  I used to have piles and piles of laundry, dirty dishes, and clutter everywhere.  Now I don't.  I try to do simple things such as keep my kitchen sink clean, keep the bathroom counters wiped off, and put things away as I go.  I also try to do a load of laundry a day (mon-fri), and that helps tremendously.  (If you want more info on where I learned these tricks, go here.)

I think the biggest holiday cleaning challenge is keeping floors clean.  Snow and salt gets tracked in, and it just gets gross! :)

I am  participating in Infarrantly Creative and Tatertots and Jello’s Blog Hop for a chance to win a Mint Cleaner. It is the revolutionary machine that cleans your hard floor surfaces for you.

Click here to join the blog hop and a chance to win!

The Mint Cleaner is  available at the following places:

Amazon
The Mint Cleaner

HSN

Bed, Bath & Beyond

Holiday Crayons

Love this and have to share!  Here's a quick and easy way to make holiday crayons for your kiddos or as a gift for others.  Sew Totally Smitten shows you how here!  I will have to add this to my list for SURE!

Fabulous Giveaways!!!

Hi everybody!  I just had to let you know that TONS of people are giving away silhouette's this week.  It's about the coolest crafting tool on the block!  Stop reading the post, and go enter!
HowDoesShe

Make It and Love It

Homemade by Jill

Infarrantly Creative

We Are That Family

Grosgrain Fabulous

Thrifty Decor Chick

Tatertots and Jello

No Biggie
Shanty2Chic

The Idea Room

Moms Review 4 You

Just a Girl

First Quilt Ever---Completed!!!

Wahoo!  I am finished with my first quilt ever.  I had an enjoyable time getting this project done.  It took me several months longer than planned, but just in time for my church youth group’s quilt show!  Here are the pictures of it all done.  I’m very happy with it. (And I apologize for the guest appearance of my favorite office chair!)  I quilted it using free motion, and attached the binding by hand (which might have almost been my favorite part of the whole quilt)!  Want to make your own quilt like this?  Care at Obsessively Stitching shows every single step here.  Now it’s off to the sewing machine to start finish some Christmas gifts! :)

  

Change a Lace Tee to a Banded Tee Tutorial

This is my latest project.  I added a quick tutorial with it, but I have to say that I would change a couple things the third time around!  My tutorial only includes adding the band to the bottom of the t-shirt.  If you Google appliqué, you will find more than enough tutorials on that subject!  I simply sewed buttons on top of the flowers at the end as well.

You’ll need:  A shirt to add the band onto, and a shirt to cut up.  (I used the lace tee because the lace was getting really gross, but the shirt was still in great condition!)

First, cut the lace off the bottom of the tee.  If you’re not using a lace tee, just cut off the stitching for the hem at the bottom of the shirt.

Then cut the bottom of your shirt you’ll be using for the band.  I cut 5 inches off the bottom.  If you want to make the shirt longer, or shorter, just figure out the length and multiply by 2.  We will be folding this piece in half to make the band.

Then fold your banded piece in half.  As you can see, the band is a little smaller around than the shirt.  If you were really picky, you could cut the band and add a bit on one side or both to make it the correct width.  I didn’t do this, and ended up with a few puckers, but I was totally okay with this.  You choose.  It just depends on how much of a perfectionist you are I guess! :)

Then pin your band to the bottom of your shirt, with the raw edges of the band being pinned to the raw bottom of the shirt.  One thing to make sewing easier would be to do a basting stitch to sew the band closed.  Also make sure that the hem of the “banded shirt.” is facing you.  This way it will be inside of the shirt when you wear it instead of being visible to everyone you know!  :) 

(This pic just shows the finished edge before the band is folded down like you'd wear it.  I hope that makes sense!)

Then with your zig-zag stitch or other knit stitch (mine’s #6 on my Bernina), sew the band to the shirt.  The zig-zag stitch (or any other stretch stitch) will help the shirt stretch instead of being stiff.

  

There’s different views so you can get an idea of the appliqué I used, and see the band.  Love this shirt because the band keeps the shirt down a lot better than the lace ever did! Wahoo!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from my Goofy family to yours!

Lynette

Loving this Cardigan Refashion!

Hi there!  I've got some projects on the way, but this can tide you over for a day or two.  I saw this caridgan last night on Ruffles and Stuff, and could hardly sleep because I'm so excited to try it!  Isn't it lovely? I definitely would feel like a lady wearing a cardigan all dressed up like that! 

#1 Reason Why I love my Bernina

When I mess up a project like I did tonight, it's very easy to unpick my mistakes.  Other sewing machines sew so tight that it's impossible to salvage the project.  Love my Bernina 1008!
Enough Said.  More projects coming soon.  I hope. :)

Go Check Out this Skirt!

I saw this skirt on Sew Dang Cute, and I absolutely fell in love.  I will definitely have to be finding some material to make one for myself.  I love new skirts, and I love this one.  Basic color, but super cute ruffles!  Thanks for the cute idea and tutorial!  Adding this to my to-do list! :)

Slate Blue Appliquéd T

Here’s one of my headache projects.  It started out as a long sleeved lace tee from Down East.  The lace on these shirts don’t make it past the washer for one wash.  They always start looking awful, but I really loved the look of something at the bottom of the shirt.  I decided to cut the lace off and add a band from an old shirt at the bottom.  The band looked great, but the top of the shirt needed some help.  There was a small grease stain that I needed to cover up.  I tried doing this method, but it looked absolutely awful!  I ended up cutting it all off, unpicking, and in the process making holes in my shirt.  So I got some cute fabric, Steam 2 Seam, and appliquéd the flowers on the front.

Here’s a close up of the appliqué.  I did a loose zigzag stitch around all the edges.

I love it, but it was sure a lot of hassle to get to this point!  I have several other lace shirts that I will be adding the band to in the future.  Can’t wait, because I love how it turned out!

Apple Green Ruffle Refashion

Here’s my latest refashion.  This only took me about 20 minutes from choosing the t-shirt to mutilate, to cutting the threads at the end.  I took an old undershirt, cut the bottom 3 inches off, and cut one of the side seams to make a big strip.  Then I folded the strip to make it 1.5 inches wide, sewed a gathering stitch, and pinned and sewed the ruffle onto the long sleeved shirt I already had.  I only added the ruffle to the front (from shoulder seam, to shoulder seam).  I think this is my new favorite refashion!  I have another idea to use this technique that’ll be showing up in the next couple of weeks!

Bag for Purse Week!

This week is purse week over at Lemon Squeezy Home!  I’ve been working on this purse since August off and on, and I finally put the finishing touches on yesterday.  I’m glad this contest came up so I could get my purse done!  I did the same style as I usually do, but the front pocket is nearly as big as the bag.  I also designed the strap so that it’s adjustable, and left an extra loop at an end for a key holder.  Embellished with ribbon strip sewed on and a bow to finish off the look!  Hope you like it as much as I do!

Inside, you can see the key loop, my purse organizer, just regular pocket (brown one), and the zippered pocket.

Guess what?!  It’s Friday!  Enjoy your weekend, I definitely will!

A new beginning...or another one!

Hi friends!

Lately I have felt like blogging, but doing more writing than showing projects.  I've been in a thinking and writing mood, rather than in a creating mood.  I'm still sewing, and making things to post about, but I feel like I need another place to record my thoughts.  My thoughts about the things I appreciate in life.  So it may not be very crafty, but I'd like to introduce my brand new blog:

My Thankful Thoughts

Hope you come on over and visit real soon!

(And no worries, I've got a fun project to show as soon as I snap a picture!)

Lynette

Makeup Organizer!

Hi there!  I absolutely LOVE my purse organizer I made a while back.  I just put it in my backpack when I’m ready for school, and then I switch it to my purse when I’m shopping or doing non-school related things.  I love it SOOO much…that I decided I’d make another one for my makeup!  You see, with my very mobile life, I’m always traveling (if I’m not moving). :)  I’ve needed a new makeup bag for over two years.  I wanted one with pockets so I could see everything at once, and I actually made one this summer but it was a definite fail.  So I gave up for a couple months.  And this last week I realized I could make another purse organizer and make the pockets perfect for makeup.

Here it is!

I love the fabric, that it’s not my usual brown and pink! :)  Now I can set it out on the counter and grab as I need and instantly put away!  I’m thinking of making a little bag for me to put this in for travelling.  We’ll see when I have time for that! ha! :)  The only thing that I don’t like about this is that I somehow got a lighter weight interfacing than I used on the last organizer, and it’s a little flimsy, but it’ll be okay for makeup stuff.  Want to make your own, here’s the link for the tutorial I used.

I wonder what the next thing one of these babies will be useful for!

Anthropologie T-Shirt

Hi there friends!  The other day, I was mindlessly looking through Anthropologie’s website for inspiration, and found this beauty.

Picture Source

I absolutely love it!  I decided that I could make my own.  This is the first shirt that I saw and decided to make without a tutorial/guide…and it turned out cute!  (Sorry, no tutorial this time…I’m a little too busy for that business right now, but I do explain what I did at the bottom of the post!)

(Please excuse the white thread and the total obvious white undershirt in the picture.  I promise that I won’t wear it like that in public!:)

Here’s a close up.  I used black knit, a sweat-stained thin white knit shirt, and a scrap of white and black print I got from DI.  The print had crazy fish in white, but cut up you’d never know!  I just cut out leaves, layered them and pinned them the way I wanted, and sewed them on.  For the printed leaves, they were cotton and I didn’t want fraying edges.  I cut out two leaves the same size, and sewed them right sides together, leaving a hole for turning.  Then I turned them, and made sure I got the holes when sewing the leaves to the shirt.  No appliqué, although it probably would have been smart, but I was lazy!  Then I took a strip of black knit, laid it on the shirt, sewed a triangle, and then tied a knot.

I think it turned out pretty cute!  Beats paying $78 for the above shirt…I just used what I had!  Hooray!

Flying Lessons!

I decided after the first week of school that I really needed to figure out a way to organize my life so I can keep my house clean, laundry done, and my husband happy.  That’s when I discovered Flylady.net.  LOVE IT!  It’s quite a quirky and cheesy website, but it makes it fun---and when cleaning your house is fun it’s all worth it!

I am currently taking flying lessons, in which FLY stands for: Finally Loving Yourself.  This system not only helps you keep your house clean, but it helps you remember that you need to take care of and value YOU!  And it all start with simply shining your sink!

I found the link for fly lady from a blog, and it’s changing my life!  So I wanted to share the link on my blog in hopes that somebody else will be able to benefit from it!

Hope you’re all doing well!  I’ve got another shirt refashion and purse in the works…I just need to find a little “me,” time to get it wrapped up!

Easy Headband Tutorial and Pattern!

I love the look of headbands!  I just can’t stand the hard plastic ones biting into my head like they do.  I’ve been looking for a good pattern for a cloth one, and haven’t found one that I liked.  Then I saw one my sister was given for her birthday one year, and decided I wanted to make one too.  I used that as a pattern to create my own.  Here’s the inspiration piece.

It’s just the right thickness, and narrows on the sides.  I tried making one with the ribbon like in the picture, but it came untied about five thousand times.  I had to ask my husband to either hold my hair out of the way, or to tie it…and let’s just say that it was too much of a hassle! :)  I decided to use elastic, but then I realized it wouldn’t match.  And THEN I had an epiphany!  I would cut up the elastic headbands that you can buy in the store, and I could get colors to slightly match the headbands (and be more comfy too!)

There’s my finished product. 

(I would show you my whole face, but I promised my husband that if I had a blog I wouldn’t show pictures of us and our faces…so just imagine a smiling girl with naturally curly hair. :)

Want to make your own?  Well today’s your luck day!  I’ve made a tutorial, and even a printable pattern for you!  I haven’t figured out how to make the pattern downloadable for you though, so if you want it, leave your email in the comments and I’ll get it sent to you!  (If you’d like your comment deleted so your email isn’t up on cyberspace, just let me know and I can do that for you!:)

You’ll need:

Headband Pattern (leave your email in the comments and I’ll get it to you!:)

A scrap of fabric (I’ve estimated that 1/4 yard makes about 2 headbands)

Elastic Headband  pictured later in the post

Iron

Sewing Machine/thread…blah blah….

First, cut out your material with the pattern.  (I cut bigger than the blue pattern for seam allowances, but I adapted the printable pattern for this…if I email you with one I’ll explain more thoroughly! :)

Fold right sides together and pin.

Plug in your iron.

Sew the long side with about a 1/4 inch seam allowance to make a long tube.

 

Turn the tube so the right side is out!

Iron the tube so the seam is in the middle and facing you.  We’re doing this so the seam will be against your head and won’t show when you’re wearing it!  If you have a pattern on the headband that you want shown, you can adjust the seam to be more to one side if needed.

Close up of seam being in the middle.

You have 2 raw edges.

Fold them under so they look like this on each end.

 

Now we’re ready to put the elastic in!  Here’s one of the sets of headbands I used.  I used the “Creamsicle Cupcake,” colors and the “Starry Night,” colors.  “Starry Night,” is a mix of browns, golds, and black which I really like.  They were three dollars for 6 headbands at walmart. There are really thin headbands, really thick ones, and middle ones.  I chose the middle thickness.  One head band is big enough to make 2 headbands and have a bit left over for another project.

Cut about a 7 inch piece of elastic headband.

Stick the elastic inside the end of your headband on one side. (Once you’ve sewn one side, you’ll do this exact thing with the other side).

Sew at about 1/4 inch seam allowance.  I changed my needle position all the way right or left depending on which side of the headband I was sewing on to make it easier.  If your machine has a hard time getting over the “bump,” to your elastic, find something flat and narrow to put under your foot near the back of your machine.  You could use a small ruler, piece of cardboard, plastic knife, etc.  (I have a tool that came with my machine for that).  It will just tilt your presser foot so it doesn’t have to “climb.” If that made no sense, let me know and I can take a pic for you!

Once you’ve sewn one side, put the other end of elastic in the other end of the headband (make sure your elastic doesn’t get twisted!), and sew it as well.

You’re done!  Now you can make 20 to give to friends for fun! :)

Linking to these parties.

As always, comment if you have questions!