lula belle

a few of my favorite ornaments!

2011-12-20T15:27:00.000-05:00

the two ornaments on the left are vintage passed on to my parents from my grandmother. i love the nostalgic feeling of santa and the elf. every year they have a special place on the christmas tree. the ornament on the right i cross stitched several years ago. do you have favorite ornaments that you have collected or inherited in your collection?

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-16T16:41:00.000-05:00

i was lucky to see santa in lowes a few saturdays ago! have you told santa what you want for christmas yet? hope everyone has a wonderful weekend- be careful out there the malls and roads will be crazy this weekend!

renninger's antques extravaganza

2011-11-21T08:30:00.000-05:00

shelly and i have been going to renninger's antique extravaganza in mt.dora for the past three years. she introduced me to it when i moved back to florida. i love walking through all the tents, you never know what you are going to find...

roly poly sign...made me think of all the cool lighting robert and cortney novagratz use.

globes are alway good accessories to use.

fishing traps made into light fixtures.

old farm house sink with my shadow in the corner. cool, but really big.

thought this was a clever use for old tool handles. wish i could spend the whole weekend browsing all the antiques, one day is not enough to see everything! i ended up with a few embroidered linens and a hammered aluminum tray. seems like i can't leave without buying linens-i will share my collection with you soon.

mt.dora is a cool, artsy town-i recommend stopping for a visit if you are ever in the area. we usually eat lunch at the garden gate tearoom before hitting up renninger's. have any favorite antique markets you love to shop? i am hoping to make it to roundtop one day!

there's no place like new york city

2011-11-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

one year ago this weekend, i was in nyc with teale and shelly.

it was a fun girls weekend filled with good food, good conversation, and good shows! i love the hustle and bustle of the city-there is no place like nyc, the architecture, the restaurants, the stores are the best!

let's go again, girls!

and the winner is...

2011-10-28T21:47:00.001-04:00

Teale

is the winner of the green zipper and flower pin!!!

i hope you enjoy it!

thanks to everyone who entered my birthday drawing!

birthday cake!

2011-10-27T08:00:00.006-04:00

today is my birthday! this photo was taken on my birthday 5 years ago...i was in upstate new york. back then i worked for a national furniture manufacturer and traveled to retail locations throughout the united states and canada. so the birthday cake was actually for the store, they were celebrating an anniversary (or something). we thought it was hilarious that it was my actual birthday! i have so many great memories from my time traveling with this job.

i can't believe another birthday is already here! i'm looking forward to another great year!

don't forget to enter my birthday giveaway below! you have until midnight thursday, oct. 27th!

BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-10-25T18:51:00.000-04:00

my birthday is this thursday and to celebrate i am giving away this cute little zipper bag to one lucky reader! it would be great for organizing your purse or bag. it is fully lined in bright pink fabric. oh-the purple flower is actually a pin, so you can use it to accessorize other items as well!

all you have to do to enter is leave me a comment on this post telling me when your birthday is (& what you do to celebrate it). for a bonus entry into the drawing you can blog about my giveaway and link back to my blog. you have until midnight on thursday october 27th, 2011 to enter. i will announce the winner on friday, so be sure to check back. you don't have much time, so spread the word!

***make sure you leave an email or blog for me to get in touch with you in case you win***

spray paint!

2011-10-11T08:45:00.004-04:00

i don't know about you guys, but i think it is important to recycle and reuse materials. i love the idea of taking an empty soup or vegetable can and repurposing it into a small vase (i have seen this somewhere, i just can't remember where). the has clean lines and interesting texture. all i did was try to remove most of the glue (probably would have worked better if i used a product specifically for this) and then paint the can with an linen gloss spray paint. think of all the possibilities available!

the flowers look more like spring than fall, don't they? that is what is growing right now in florida!

felt envelopes

2011-09-21T08:30:00.000-04:00

while browsing pinterest, i stumbled across some adorable play felt envelopes. you can buy them here, but of course i did not do that. i made my own to give to my favorite three year old for her birthday! i used several different stitches on my sewing machine to make the "addresses". each envelop opens so little hands can stuff things inside them. i love handmade, unique toys that encourage children to use their imaginations, don't you? i thought it would be cute to make a mail box out of cardboard to go along with these, but that hasn't happened yet.

pirate party!

2011-08-30T19:30:00.000-04:00

ashley (my sister-in-law) planned the cutest pirate party for e's third birthday! e loves jake and the neverland pirates on disney junior. she used purple as the accent color to make things a little more girly than red. she decorated down to the details...

watermelon pirate ship

hot dog pirate ships

birthday banner, especially love the skeleton sitting on top!

do you guys like pinterest (i admit-sometimes i spend way too much time on there)? there are tons of great ideas on there, including lots of pirate party ideas.

sew fun!

2011-08-29T08:30:00.003-04:00

i decided to create a fun outfit for my favorite three year old! i put fusible webbing on the back of my fabric and then drew a flower on it. then i cut it out and applied it to a tank top i picked up at old navy for about $2. i used embroidery thread to stitch around the flower. that's the blanket stitch around the petals...i am still working on my hand embroidery! it is definitely a skill.

i used mccall's m5835 pattern to make the shorts. it is an "easy" pattern, but there was still seam ripping involved for me! i want to sew more clothing items so i get more familiar with patterns.

here it is- i hope she likes it!

i added a small piece of ribbon to mark the back of the shorts. any body have any patterns they love to use?

meet reba...

2011-08-05T08:15:00.001-04:00

don't let her cute face fool you, she is mischievous! she has been known to set the alarm off, chew leather flip flops, and eat fabric. yes, i mean literally EAT fabric. just last night she took a bite out of a slipcover i made for an ottoman. she gets plenty of food, but she is still a puppy-8 months old. one night i came home to find the police in the driveway, all because reba was able to set off the alarm. she was scared to death when i found her though-poor thing! she is super smart and very loyal, so i think i will overlook her mistakes. i hope she will outgrow them! guess i should go try to patch up that slipcover...anybody have any funny stories about your pets?

cute potholders

2011-07-26T08:30:00.003-04:00

i saw this idea in a book i checked out from the library...unfortunately i don't remember the name of the book. sorry! i used upholstery fabric (100% cotton) for the front and back squares. i layered polyfill batting in between the two outer pieces. after sewing the right sides together and then turning, i topstitched and added leaves for decorations. i did not use fusible webbing for the leaves, because i couldn't find any at home-i just topstitched. this was a great way to use up some small scraps of fabric i had laying around! what do you do with all your fabric scraps?

10 years ago...

2011-06-21T16:29:00.000-04:00

10 years ago this summer, i studied abroad in london with my good friend, teale. what wonderful summer we had traveling around europe! i can not believe that it has been 10 years...but a lot has happened since them. here's a little walk down memory lane...

this is where we called home for six weeks-guarentee you it looks a lot prettier on the outside than the inside! walking distance from kensington gardens and blocks from a tube station.

we took a quick weekend trip to scotland and toured the highlands.

i have so many great memories from this experience! it was a summer filled with new friends, new places, different languages, and lots and lots of art and architecture! i think we ate are way through europe at the hard rock cafe-i know, i know, why would we do that? well, you would not believe how desperately we craved 'American' food while we were away from home.

i had to scan these pictures, no digital cameras for us 10 years ago. anybody else have any fun memories while traveling abroad? please share!

thrifting...

2011-06-10T15:56:00.000-04:00

yesterday my mom and i stopped in a little antique/thrift store that i had never been in before. you never know what you are going to find while checking out thrift stores-that is what i love about it! i found these water color paintings of paris...there were four in the set, but i decided to only take two home with me (for now). the left painting is of notre dame and the right is the champs elysees. i have a little bit of a collection of images from paris, so these were a must have and a very good deal too!

happy friday everyone!

stars and stripes

2011-06-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

i hope everyone had a nice memorial day and spent a little time reflecting on the men and women who have given their lives so the rest of us can enjoy freedom. i spent the day with family and friends, mostly eating. my sister in law made these yummy cupcakes. we also had pulled pork, baked beans, corn on the cob, and potato casserole. and all i had to do was bring the bread!

God bless the USA!

vacation is good for the soul

2011-05-19T16:08:00.000-04:00

i had a wonderful time visiting anna maria island last week with my family. i enjoyed the break and the beautiful weather. i went swimming, looked for shells, soaked up the sun, and ate! hope each one of you has a beautiful summer!

clay time!

2011-04-22T15:33:00.001-04:00

sorry i haven't posted much this year...it's been a busy few months for me. hear is a little peak at some of the things i have been working on. the owl above is slab built and the vessel below is a pinch pot. both are made with stanley's red earthenware; bisque fired and then glaze fired. the owl was inspired from an owl i saw at pier one imports.

happy easter, everyone!

Spring time!

2011-03-25T10:14:00.000-04:00

i recently had a sketch book assignment to spend an hour on an observational drawing. this drawing of a hibiscus is the result of my hour spent outside. sometimes we have to be forced to do the things we love so that we remember why we love them in the first place!

happy spring, everyone!

Valentine's Give Away!!!

2011-02-07T08:30:00.001-05:00

Another GREAT giveaway just in time for Valentine' Day! Shelly is offering two prizes-a vintage spoon to use as a gift tag or garden marker and a box of Romanicos Chocolate. All you have to do to enter is send her a picture of a room, home accessory, or piece of furniture that you love in your house! This is what I am sending her...

You have until February 13th @ midnight to enter...so go do it now! oh-and let her know where you heard about her giveaway.

hoot the owl

2011-01-29T10:00:00.004-05:00

it took me a while to get this little guy made (actually he was misplaced for a bit), but it was totally worth it! he is loosely based on the owls from pottery barn kids. his eyes, nose, and feet are made out of felt and his back is a soft pink minky fabric. i stuffed his body and legs with polyfill. he went to live with a very special little girl who loves him very much!

sofa reupholstery

2011-01-07T15:40:00.001-05:00

i spotted this camel back sofa on the side of the road near my house a few months back. we loaded it up and took it home...it has been sitting in the garage for months now. the upholstery fabric is literally in shreds, but she has good bones. i want to reupholster it myself. the only upholstery work i have done is a few small projects including the ottoman i showed you guys a few months back. this is going to be a BIG project. i started taking the back panel of fabric off this week. they used a TON Of staples in this baby (that is probably normal?). i haven't decided on fabric to use yet-definitely something fun.

this will be an ongoing project that i update you with as i go along. so stick with me! it will definitely be a learning process for me and maybe you guys can help me out as i go along! it may take me all of 2011 but i am determined to do this!

giveaway!!!

2011-01-05T08:58:00.000-05:00

i love the pioneer woman! i have been following her blog for a few years now...i got totally hooked to her real life cowboy love story. well, she is turning it into a book AND you have a chance to win it if you go to teale's new blog and enter her giveaway! check it out before the giveaway is over january 13th, 2011.

drawing...

2011-01-03T18:17:00.000-05:00

one of the things i want to devote more time to in 2011 is drawing...i love to draw, it is calming for me. i checked a book out of the library today called basic drawing techniques. it took me back to my first drawing class at auburn where i spent quite a bit of time drawing blind contours. my shoe drawing above is one of the recommended projects in the book. the idea is to concentrate on your subject and your skills will improve.

what are your goals for the new year? happy 2011!

christmas card wreath

2010-12-17T08:30:00.001-05:00

i saw this idea in a magazine somewhere...now i can not find or remember which magazine, but here is my version. the idea was to take a wooden hoop and use wooden clothes pins to attach your christmas cards to the hoop, forming a full wreath. this is an easy and creative way to display all those pretty cards you get this time of the year. let me know if anyone makes their own!

happy holidays y'all!

2010-12-15T12:42:00.000-05:00

i hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season so far. i am trying to stay warm, but it has been freezing in florida! i found this banner at michaels last week...it was originally $1.99 and i got it for $.099! it is a paula deen product, looks like she is taking after martha stewart and breaking into every market she can. the banner looks sort of homemade and adds a little whimsy to the decor. happy holidays, y'all! (i can just hear paula saying it!)

happy thanksgiving

2010-11-25T08:00:00.006-05:00

i have much to be thankful for this year! i hope that you all have a wonderful day spent with family and friends! i will be eating my dad's smoked turkey and hanging out with my family.

trim

2010-11-23T12:40:00.000-05:00

i just got back from a fun weekend in nyc with two very dear friends! we stumbled upon a fabric shop with loads of great trims...at great prices! i bought a couple that i am planning on incorporating into some bags. check back to see what i come up with!

Spruce TV - Pilot Episode: "Meet the Sprucettes!"

2010-10-19T11:18:00.001-04:00

Check out this reupholstery/design studio in Austin: Spruce! I would love to work with these women! They have some serious sewing and design skills. And they offer classes on the weekends-wish I lived closer so I could check it all out.

for sale

2010-10-07T22:13:00.000-04:00

i have a few bags in stock that are available for sale, including this one. i will be featuring each one of the next couple of weeks. this is a good size tote bag with a button closure and interior pocket. leave me a comment if you like it!

ottoman love

2010-08-18T15:11:00.000-04:00

this cute little ottoman was once covered in a not so pretty palm tree print. my mom was going to give her away when i decided to give her a makeover instead. i think she is lovely now and wouldn't think of giving her away!

cranny!

2010-08-04T20:03:00.000-04:00

you guys must go check out sarah kate's blog and etsy shop! the name of her new venture is cranny-found favorites. she was having a giveaway a few weeks back and i won this beautiful pillow and a piece of her paper doily garland. she is super talented and has some mad sewing skills. so if you need any pillow covers to dress up your sofa or bed i recommend you place an order with cranny!

oh- and don't you just love her turquoise tags? she pays attention to all the important details!

tropical print

2010-07-19T18:32:00.000-04:00

another great jim thompson fabric...this bag is a special order for my friend, teale. she wanted something fun for summer-i hope she likes it! it is fully lined with a coordinating fabric and has an interior pocket.

i hope everyone is having a great summer!

words to live by

2010-06-01T10:00:00.019-04:00

for other great quotes go to cREaTe{by RET}. i actually won this quote canvas when rachel was having a giveaway on her blog. i love the words by ralph waldo emerson and i love the colors she used. thanks, rachel (sorry it took me soooo long to post about)!

yard sale score

2010-05-10T12:57:00.000-04:00

i love going to yard sales...you never know what you are going to find! saturday i found this sixteen piece aqua luncheon set. the lady i bought it from told me it is depression glass. i'll have to do a little research. as i was buying it she asked me if i was getting married. i guess you have to be engaged to buy dishes???

red jumper

2010-04-27T11:02:00.000-04:00

i used a red corduroy for the body of this dress and a white cotton for the lining. i don't have an embroidery machine, so i had to take it to a local shop to get it monogrammed. i didn't follow the pattern i had exactly and ran into a few problems with the lining. so when all else fails read the directions!

sfgirlbybay

2010-02-20T15:26:00.000-05:00

does anybody read sfgirlbybay? well if you do then you will already know that i won the amy butler reader giveaway!!! i can't wait to get organized with amy's tabletop collection! i just got my goodies in the mail and they are lovely!

desktop organizer with paper & 3 pencils, portfolio with paper pad, organizer with 4 pocket tab dividers (below), and 9 file folders

thanks for hosting this giveaway, victoria! you can buy everything pictured here.

sweater re-purpose

2010-02-02T16:48:00.000-05:00

This toddler sized hat is made out of an old wool sweater of mine that I almost got rid of. I cut 2 semi-circles out of the bottom of the sweater and sewed them together. I have seen this done before and decided to give it a try. I sewed the flower on by hand. I have been totally inspired by all the repurposing going on in the blog world!

multi purpose bandanas

2010-01-14T10:00:00.003-05:00

we are getting ready for a western party round here! my sister in law saw a table cloth made out of bandannas, so i decided to give it a try. i used 6 red and 6 blue bandannas. i sewed them together in strips of 3 and then sewed the strips together. oh and the best part-i did it all for $12! hobby lobby has the bandannas for 99 cents each!

yo-yo!

2010-01-12T16:19:00.000-05:00

i made these flowers using heather bailey's yo-yo tutorial. it didn't take long to cut and sew them. i am thinking about making them into pins. they would be a great embellishment for a bag, purse, coat, sweater! (i'm still working on the leaves too!)

Accent Pillow

2010-01-03T15:30:00.017-05:00

this pillow is one of the christmas gifts that i made this year. i gave it to my sister in law. the fabric shown had the tree embroidered on it and i used a woven red fabric for the back of the pillow. pillows can be a little tricky to stuff, think i will stick with pillow forms whenever possible. i haven't attempted a pillow form cover with a zipper yet...maybe i will add that to my list of things to accomplish in 2010!

happy new year everyone!

little purses

2009-12-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

3 very lucky little girls are getting these purses for christmas from their sweet grandmother! each purse has the owners name embroidered on it in pink thread. i used a little velcro this time to keep the purse closed. they make great gifts and can be filled with all kinds of fun things!

etsy

2009-10-13T15:35:00.001-04:00

I just added a few things to my etsy shop...go check them out and let me know what you think!!!

the letter E

2009-09-21T09:59:00.001-04:00

i bought this 3-D letter E at a local craft store. i added colorful & patterned scrapbook paper to cover the brown cardboard. i also decorated the t-shirt that E is wearing. my thought was to make petals around the neck of the shirt so it would look like a little flower. she is one stylin' & sweet little girl!

great giveaway!

2009-08-20T17:35:00.001-04:00

check this out-lots of great handmade goodies! my friend, plum tree studio, is in on the giveaway too!

zebra print

2009-08-11T21:09:00.002-04:00

i am trying to make up for my lack of posts over the past few months!!! i thought this bag turned out really cute with the zebra print microfiber! a co-worker of mine special ordered it for her granddaughter. a special thanks to teale for doing the monogram!

craft show craziness

2009-08-08T18:46:00.002-04:00

i did a craft show last weekend with teale. we sold some stuff, bought some stuff, and had a great time hanging out! it's always fun to see what other crafters are creating. happy weekend!

great giveaway!

2009-06-04T20:37:00.000-04:00

baby quilt

2009-06-03T22:27:00.000-04:00

Have I mentioned that my mom is crafty too? She made this quilt for baby E...it has been in the works for a while, but is complete now! She had the machine quilting done by a local quilter. It has soft green minky fabric on the back. Handmade gifts are great-the receiver knows that thought and love were put into creating them and cherish the gifts all the more for it. Support your local artists and buy handmade!

wrap around dress

2009-05-31T12:54:00.004-04:00

I did it! I made this dress and bloomers for baby E. The dress is lined in the brown and pink polka dot fabric that matches the bloomers. I found this floral fabric in the clearance room of my favorite quilt shop in atlanta back in January. The back of the dress criss crosses and buttons on the top. This was my first attempt at button holes (much easier than I thought)! E hasn't tried on the final product, but once she does I will add a picture.

fancy folders

2009-05-04T15:08:00.002-04:00

supplies

you can buy file folders that are pretty and patterned-i've seen them at office depot. well i decided to make my own...i bought scrapbooking paper on sale at a local craft store and then glued it to the front of the folder. then i cut out the paper to the shaper of the folder. now doing paper work and organizing is so much more fun!

swap results

2009-04-03T11:40:00.004-04:00

i participated in a "my favorite things swap" a few weeks ago that teale put together. i received a book-nights in rodanthe by nicholas sparks and a willow tree "free spirit" figurine from crystal. i devoured the book as soon as i got it and love the willow tree! it was so much fun to get a surprise in the mail...sorry it took my so long to post about it!

baby boy

2009-03-23T11:00:00.003-04:00

i thought this circus print in blue and red would be fun for my friend, kimberly's new baby boy! so i made burp cloths and a bib out of it and a coordinating fabric. don't worry-i already sent them to her, so i am not ruining the surprise! the circus print is actually a piece of fabric that plumtree studio donated to me-thanks, nay.

happy monday, everyone!

shopping cart cover

2009-03-11T15:52:00.004-04:00

shelly asked me to make a shopping cart cover for her little boy...so i thought i would give it a try. she had some fabric that she wanted to use and she picked out the pattern. i looked at the patterns, but honestly had no clue which one would be best for baby! it fits very nicely in the winn dixie shopping carts. It has elastic around the outer edge so it will stay in place and two interior pockets for bottles, etc. i hope baby w will like it!

friday giveaway!

2009-02-27T09:57:00.005-05:00

the pink potpourri is giving away one of my clutches on her blog this weekend! go on over and check it out-she has the directions on how to enter the drawing. good luck! here's a sneak peak:

antiques extravaganza

2009-02-25T17:08:00.004-05:00

if you know me, you know that i love a good bargain...and what better place to find a bargain than an antique market? atlanta has some good ones, so i was glad to find out about a few down in the sunshine state too. shelly and i spent last saturday in mt. dora...we both found a few deals-i mostly bought vintage fabrics with handwork on them. below is one of my favorite finds! won't it look great once i frame it?

blogger swap...

2009-02-16T11:01:00.005-05:00

here is something fun for all you blogger's out there...go check out my friend teale's blog to see all the rules. basically you are matched up with someone and you send them 2 of your favorite things in the mail. it doesn't have to be anything big or expensive, just something you would like to get yourself. i have already signed up-i love surprises and can't wait to see what arrives in the mail for me!

happy valentine's day!

2009-02-13T16:20:00.002-05:00

isn't my sister-in-law creative? she made these valentine's with baby e's feet! too cute-thanks, ashley!

baby shower

2009-01-19T19:54:00.000-05:00

i went to a baby shower for my good friend, brooke, this past saturday. here is a picture of what i made for her and her baby girl...bib, burp clothes, hair bows. it just so happened that once i arrived at the shower i found out that the baby's middle name is violet!

happy new year!!!

2009-01-01T16:07:00.003-05:00

may we all take time to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us in the new year! i hope 2009 is a great year for each of you!

fabric blocks

2008-12-30T11:20:00.002-05:00

i made these fabric blogs with ribbon "tags" for my niece for christmas. i think she likes them, don't you? they were the right size to use up some of the fabric scraps i had. i cut out 3" squares, so the final cube is a little smaller than that.

roses are red...

2008-12-28T13:42:00.003-05:00

i hope you all had a very merry christmas filled with lots of family, fun, and food! above is one of the handmade gifts i gave this year...i made the fabric flower pin for my mom. it's the perfect whimiscal touch for any outfit (or purse!). she wore it yesterday and today and got lots of compliments, so i think i will make a few to sell. using different fabrics and colors of course!

gift giving

2008-12-19T13:03:00.004-05:00

i realized i haven't posted pictures of my work in a while-sorry about that! so here you go...any of which would make wonderful gifts! hope you all are enjoying this holiday season!

small zipper

large totes

habitually chic

2008-12-17T18:39:00.003-05:00

since i am feeling generous, i wanted to share a fabulous giveaway with all of my dear readers. check out habitually chic's blog...she is giving away 5 cashmere throws from williams-sonoma home!!! i already entered and have my fingers crossed! let me know if you win! this is one of my favorite blogs, so go check it out.

thanks plumtree studio!

2008-11-18T22:24:00.003-05:00

my friend, dana, at plumtree studio gave me this pile of fabric from her stash! what a nice surprise-thanks, nay! i have already got a few projects in the works with some of it. i might have to wait a while to share since some of them are christmas gifts!

happy halloween!

2008-10-31T12:03:00.004-04:00

i hope everyone has a fun & safe halloween! these are two little ghosts that arrived to wish me a happy halloween...i just thought they were too cute not to share! if they look like little footprints it's because they are!

and the winner is...

2008-10-28T10:21:00.006-04:00

Beth G.!

thank you to everyone who entered the drawing. it was a great success! i enjoyed hearing from each one of you. check back often-i just might do another giveaway!

this weekend

2008-10-24T19:48:00.002-04:00

saturday and sunday sherry and i will be at the smyrna jonquil festival. it is supposed to be a beautiful fall weekend here in georgia, so if you are looking for something to do come out and see us!

BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY

2008-10-21T22:34:00.005-04:00

so, my birthday is next monday-october 27th...in celebration of it i am going have a drawing for all my lovely blog readers! the prize will be a little something made by me (think small zipper)-i will reveal it on monday.

here are the rules:

leave a comment on this post if you want to be entered in the drawing. if you post a link on your blog to my give away i will enter your name in the drawing twice (make sure you let me know if you do this). you have until monday, october 27th @ midnight to enter the drawing. i will announce the winner on my blog tuesday, october 28th. if i don't already have your email you can leave it in the comment or check back tuesday to see if you are the winner-whichever you are more comfortable with. i just want to make sure that i will be able to get in contact with the winner. i will then mail the prize to the winner!

thanks for celebrating my birthday with me!

little girl purses

2008-10-16T14:35:00.009-04:00

i accidently stumbled upon the idea of making purses for little girls...i was first attempting to make my own pattern for a purse and the pattern size i cut ended up being much smaller than i anticipated. so-the child size purse was born! i haven't made too many of them, but i thought i would give it a try and see if anyone is interested. i know a couple special little girls that will eventually get one, they just won't have much use for it right now!

approximate size: 6" wide, 5" high, 2" deep

black & yellow

2008-10-13T16:05:00.004-04:00

i have been thinking about ways to embellish my bags...i have made felt flower pins before and want to get back to doing the extra touches that really set off my purses and bags.

the lining of this bag is yellow, black, & white (same fabric as the center of the flower). i like the dimension of this flower...it's not perfect, but that is how it was intended! my mom taught me how to make a french knot, so i put it into practice here. there are 7 in the center of the flower. it comes in so handy to have a crafty & talented mother. thanks for all of your help, mom!

oh-this is a small preview of what is to come at the craft show later this month!

letters...

2008-10-04T18:51:00.000-04:00

i painted this wooden "E" for my neice...it is hanging on the door to her nursery at home. i am painting a few other letters in various colors. i tried to pick letters from popular baby names right now...we'll see how that turns out!

baby bows

2008-10-02T13:46:00.004-04:00

my first attempt at the small baby bow hair clips. the clip is entirely covered in ribbon so it will be more comfortable for baby. the are precious in baby e's hair! i am going to make some more in various colors & ribbon, so stay tuned for more pics. maybe i will even have a picture of my newest model showing them off!

brown & green

2008-09-22T18:43:00.000-04:00

i am getting ready for a craft show in a couple of weeks...here is one of the zippers that i have made for it. i am trying to add some fall colors to my inventory. i think these small zipper pouches would make a fabulous gift for your friend, sister, mother, daughter, or grandma!

fat quarters

2008-09-13T15:23:00.004-04:00

yesterday i spent the afternoon with my friend, nay. we got a little lunch and then hit up the local quilt shop. my treasures are pictured above. of course i could have bought a lot more! it was just what i needed a little inspiration from the fabric and my creative friend! hope everyone else had a good friday too!

flower power!

2008-09-10T19:06:00.002-04:00

i took a little blogging break to spend some quality time with my newborn niece. she is absolutely precious...my family is so glad for her to be at home with her parents! i am back now and have been playing with my new sewing machine...above is a picture showing one of the applique stitches that it will sew. i used some fabric scraps i had to embellish a pink hoodie that i had in my closet. it's not quite finished...i think it needs a little something else!

nie nie day

2008-08-28T10:30:00.001-04:00

some of you out there in blogland may be familiar with this family: stephanie & christian and their 4 children...they were recently in a horrible private plane accident where the flight instructor did not survive. stephanie & christian have severe burns from the crash and are in for a long recovery. designmom is hosting a silent auction today, thursday august 28th, to benefit this family. the proceeds from the auction will be donated to the stephanie & christian paypal fund set up to help cover their medical expenses. there are lots of artists offering auctions with really great things, so go check it out on the designmom blog-it's a good cause!

machines...

2008-08-25T19:13:00.000-04:00

i am super excited about my new sewing machine (please ignore the mess in the background)! it is a major improvement over my previous machine. i can't wait to show you guys all the cool stuff this one can do! it's a janome for all of you who are interested. i am getting serious about sewing!

plumtreestudio & createbyret

2008-08-21T21:23:00.005-04:00

everybody check out dana's blog and rachel's blog...they are having a special sale this weekend only-the link will be on their blogs (plum tree studio & createbyret respectively) friday morning. they are both incredibly talented and creative, so go see what all they for sale!

more little birdies...

2008-08-18T22:06:00.002-04:00

just wanted to share another picture of the nursery painting r did. i think the birds are absolutely precious! i should see it in person this week...nursery is all ready for baby. i can't wait for her to arrive!

about time...

2008-08-13T14:29:00.005-04:00

i didn't mean to let so much time pass since my last post...i have been a little distracted lately. between the olympics, job changes, and a trip to birmingham i really haven't done much sewing lately. my trip to see teale in b'ham was productive though-i sold several bags (including the one shown above)...i hope you girls enjoy them! thanks for all the support!

a little face lift...

2008-07-27T16:57:00.000-04:00

before

after

this chair has good bones...my granny gave it to me-she and my grandfather bought the dining room set circa 1950 in montgomery, al. this is the lone remaining chair and she was going to get rid of it too when i rescued it! all it needed was an updated upholstery for the seat. now it lives happily in my living room.

pretty pillows

2008-07-23T17:05:00.005-04:00

pillows on my sofa

my friend, christina, asked me to make 2 pillows for her living room. she bought 4 napkins at pottery barn that i converted into 2 pillows using 18 inch pillow forms! i can't wait to see them in her living room...

by the way-the new pottery barn at lenox is fabulous! they say it is the largest pottery barn in the world.

nursery...

2008-07-20T20:52:00.002-04:00

i love this little birdie! she is painted on the wall in my niece's nursery; my brother did the painting (didn't he do a good job?). there will be several more birds in the room-above the closet and in the corner near the ceiling. i helped with the placement and drawing of the birdies. i can't wait until my niece gets here; only a few more weeks!

tan & pink

2008-07-19T12:30:00.003-04:00

this bag was made for teale...it turned out well and she likes it! i put a thin layer of batting between the lining and outer fabric to give it more stability.

burp clothes

2008-07-14T10:41:00.002-04:00

these make a great baby gift...since i know lots of babies that are expected over the next several months, i thought i should make up a few sets!

2008-06-27T16:15:00.002-04:00

for all you design lovers out there-i know you will appreciate the jim thompson fabric that this tote bag is made out of. i almost didn't want to cut the fabric, it is so nice! this was a special request gift for a very dear friend of mine, shelly. i hope you enjoy it-have a wonderful birthday!

something different...

2008-06-26T16:31:00.002-04:00

front

back

i have had the "body" of this bag sewn for a while...it wasn't until my mom gave me the bamboo handles that i decided how to finish it off! i think the ribbon detailing, multiple fabrics, & handles make this a fun & unique bag. oh-it is lined in the same khaki fabric used to attach the handles to the "body."

sewing is fun!

2008-06-18T16:42:00.005-04:00

i made this top! it was my first attempt at sewing clothing in a long time (i think we made some clothes in home ec class back in the day). it's a mccall's pattern that i picked up at hancock fabric for $.99! there are 4 other styles included that i plan to try also. it's a great top for summer...it has been very hot here lately!

blue zipper

2008-06-12T16:35:00.004-04:00

i thought it was time to do a little more sewing...so here is one of the projects that i finished this week. i love the fabric-great color & design! i have it in several color ways so you may see more of it.

little birdies

2008-06-07T16:55:00.003-04:00

i made these two little birds out of felt; they are stitched together with brown & pick embroidery thread. they were made with love for my niece's nursery (the crib bedding has birds on it)...they will be waiting to meet her when she arrives later this summer! i just need to find a nest for them to live in...any ideas where i can buy a fake one?

saturday

2008-06-04T22:34:00.002-04:00

this saturday is the ice craft show in centennial park-if you are in the atlanta area it is definitely worth checking out! i won't be selling, but i will definitely be browsing! make sure you stop by the plum*tree*studio booth to check out the fabulous t-shirts made by my friend, dana.

i'll post pictures of what i have been working on soon...i have been busy with memorial day, family, & baby showers!

scott's antique market

2008-05-15T17:39:00.005-04:00

i finally made the trip to scott's antique market last weekend. it is open the second weekend of every month here in atlanta and totally worth the trip. lots and lots of furniture and home accessories. i scored these pretty vintage handkerchiefs for $1 each! what a deal. haven't decided what i am going to do with them; maybe frame a whole bunch to create a collage? that's all i bought this trip, but the next time i am in need of furniture i will definitely go back.

bigger purse

2008-05-07T14:49:00.004-04:00

the loop & button closure was new for me...i really like the way it turned out. this is a gift for someone very dear to me that has a birthday this week (i hope she is not reading this, since she hasn't gotten it yet!).

the sweetest dog & kitty

2008-05-05T15:41:00.001-04:00

how cute is this? i love these two animals and am so glad that they love each other too!

festival...

2008-04-27T21:37:00.003-04:00

bags by sherry & me in the front-sherry's baby line in the background

my small zipper bags on the left and sherry's headbands & barrets on the right

here are a few pics from saturday...before we got rained out! the weather was beautiful saturday up until about 4pm...and then all of a sudden it was raining and storming like crazy! sherry and i were trying to hold the tent down and keep everything from getting drenched at the same time (try to imagine-quite a picture, i am sure). the man from the tent next door took pity on us and eventually came to help (we think he heard us screaming "what should we do?"). we got everything we made into my car and headed back to sherry's to dry out. what an adventure! all in all i enjoyed the craft show and had fun hanging out with sherry!

labels!!!

2008-04-22T18:03:00.003-04:00

this is what the fabric labels for my purses look like-thanks for all your help, teale. i printed them on printable fabric that i bought at jo ann's and will sew them onto the lining of my purses. i am so excited about how they turned out!

happy easter...a little late

2008-03-30T23:26:00.004-04:00

this bag made its way to arkansas along with two others to celebrate easter! i believe it was actually used as an "easter" basket...what a creative idea! it makes me happy to think of my purses spreading out across the country...i recently also sent one out to colorado to my cousin, ryan.

in the works...

2008-03-12T20:57:00.004-04:00

so, i don't think this photo really does this bag justice, but the fabric has a linen texture to it and is beautiful! i may not be able to part with this one! i am desperately trying to build up my inventory for the spring...i am creating this size tote bag in a variety of fabrics. it's a great size for carrying magazines, water bottles, books, stuff that just doesn't quite fit in your purse. let me know what you guys think!

retro flowers

2008-02-26T20:14:00.007-05:00

i met up with some friends in b'ham this weekend. we went to a class where they demonstrate how to paint a predetermined picture. they all turned out really cute and we had a lot of fun!

and while i was in the b'ham area i sold a couple of bags! i love my alabama customers...thanks for the support, ladies! i am always so surprised to find out who reads my little blog:-)

lula belle

a few of my favorite ornaments!

Merry Christmas!

renninger's antques extravaganza

there's no place like new york city

and the winner is...

birthday cake!

BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!!!

spray paint!

felt envelopes

pirate party!

sew fun!

meet reba...

cute potholders

10 years ago...

thrifting...

stars and stripes

vacation is good for the soul

clay time!

Spring time!

Valentine's Give Away!!!

hoot the owl

sofa reupholstery

giveaway!!!

drawing...

christmas card wreath

happy holidays y'all!

happy thanksgiving

*trim*

Spruce TV - Pilot Episode: "Meet the Sprucettes!"

for sale

ottoman love

cranny!

tropical print

words to live by

yard sale score

red jumper

sfgirlbybay

sweater re-purpose

multi purpose bandanas

yo-yo!

Accent Pillow

little purses

etsy

the letter E

great giveaway!

zebra print

craft show craziness

great giveaway!

baby quilt

wrap around dress

fancy folders

swap results

baby boy

shopping cart cover

friday giveaway!

antiques extravaganza

blogger swap...

happy valentine's day!

baby shower

happy new year!!!

fabric blocks

roses are red...

gift giving

habitually chic

thanks plumtree studio!

happy halloween!

and the winner is...

*this weekend*

***BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY***

little girl purses

black & yellow

letters...

baby bows

brown & green

fat quarters

flower power!

nie nie day

machines...

plum*tree*studio & createbyret

trim

this weekend

BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY

plumtreestudio & createbyret

retro flowers