Bags or Begs

People make fun of me because of the way I say, Bag. I live near Canada, I'm not Canadian, but I guess people think I have an accent, I don't. Instead of bag I guess it sounds more like beg when I say it, which is the correct way. Just humor me.

Anywho, I've been on a sewing binge lately. I'm obsessed with fabric and usually can't leave a store that sells it without at least looking, if not buying some. So this has led me to a life full of 'stacks' of pretty fabric (I really only have one cube type box full). This last week I decided to 'bust that stash', it's not doing me any good in that box.

Some of that fabric I have sitting around. I'm going to make this stuff into a square quilt. Then if that' successful I'm going to make a triangle quilt. yikes.

To start with, I sewed a couple of fleece blankets to get my feet wet so to speak. Simple, double sided blankets with a simple quick crocheted edge

 funky baby blanket

This is possibly a little more normal baby blanket. I have a big stack of cut up flannel to make about 18 blankets. So if you're having a baby this year chances are you'll get a blanket....:)

For YW we are going to make Sunday tote bags in a couple weeks. This was my practice one to get the directions written out for the girls:

 I'm so excited for this project. It's simple/very cheap/ and customizable to their specific tastes.

Then I decided that I wanted to sew a bag for my friend KneeKole. She hates the plastic bag shopping ban so I made up a funky shopping bag for her to ease the hurt of no more plastic. I found the pattern online. It wasn't really want I wanted so I improvised. Their directions were practically non-existent so I had a bit of trial and error to get it right but I only had to seam rip 2 small parts one time. For having no directions it turned out better than I thought it would. Especially being double sided with the straps done on the same side. That's an adventure!!

 Last night KneeKole came over and I showed her how to make the Sunday totes so we can teach the YW together. After that I stayed downstairs and started another bag similar to the KneeKole bag but a little smaller. It's more of a purse though. I'm almost done just need to sew up the handles and top stitch and it's done.

All my fabric is so funky but I like it like that. It's fun learning how to sew- it's hard not really knowing what I'm doing but I've never been afraid to try a new craft even if it is a total bust. I guess I just don't think about what can go wrong until it does. Very opposite from my 'real regular' life.

Each of my projects has a name of sorts. I usually watch a Netflix movie/show while I sew. The two baby blankets I made are Jericho blankets because I watched the show Jericho while I worked.

KneeKole's bag is named Moulan Rouge. I was charged by one of our YW to watch this movie. I'd never seen it. It's not one that I'd probably watch again but it was ok. I didn't know what to expect. There was one scene that lasted about 2 minutes that I fast forwarded other than that it wasn't as scandalous as I thought it would be considering the setting of the movie. It was just weird is all.

And last night's bag was done in stages so it's a mix between She's the Man and Iron Chef America. I cut it out while watching the movie then sewed it while ICA was on.

That is all. So random but I don't think there is a cure for that.

Really Last Minute

Two blogs in one day...wahhhhhh? WEIRD. Someone better take my temperature. Like I mentioned in my last post, I wanted to very quickly, post about a few very last minute Christmas gifts I'm working on. All my gifts from my previous post are wrapped and ready to go, if I didn't have a splitting headache I'd go deliver them now :(.

The first is a gift I'm making for my grandma, I should be working on it now.
It's going to be a birthday calendar eventually.

So I had a bunch of these poker chips...why we have them when none of us play poker, I dunno, but we did. So I started by spray painting all the ones that weren't black, black. 

Then I picked out 6 pieces of slightly patterned paper and printed the first name of each member of my family along with the day they were born ex: Mariah 8th.

Cut out each name with a circle punch and glued it onto the now dry poker chip.

This is a horrrrrible picture of the basic idea behind this bday calendar:

It will be a wooden piece that says, Peck Family Birthday's. Underneath that, I'll have the months written across the bottom of the board. Each month will have an eye hook beneath it where I will daisy chain the poker chips.
Still with me?
No?
OK.

 This tool above is called, a Crop-a-dile. It cuts through just about anything. I'm able to cut through the paper and plastic poker chip. Once the holes are made, I'll use jewelry jump rings to connect the chips, in order under their corresponding month

 

I apologize deeply if you're still reading. I don't think I'm making ANY sense but it's been a long day!!

 These are all the poker chips, basically done, I still have a few more that I need to redo do to glue mishaps. Tomorrow I'm going to punch holes in each of these and place them in order by month.
I guess this might be a gift that gets delivered a little after Christmas because I don't have any wood to make the sign. So that's a bummer. I think I also need to find some eye hooks.


SOOOO if you're still reading here is another last minute gift I've been working on:

 Headband Earwarmers!! They are so hip right now and I can make them in about an hour so they are the ultimate last minute DIY gift!!

I've made three in the last day and a half, one was already gifted so just two are shown. These two will have homes soon. If you know how to do basic crochet stitches, you can make this so super easily.
If you want to make your own, watch this video. 
I didn't make mine as thick as hers and I added a flower. She's very wordy and kind of slow getting to the point so once I watched enough to know what I needed to do on the ends, I just made up my own directions as I went but it's pretty simple.

I'm thankful for my knowledge on how to knit and crochet, I'm able to make gifts for people that I wouldn't otherwise be able to make. It's pretty fun to watch a piece of 'string' as my dad calls it (yarn) turn into something else like a hat, blanket, scarf, earwarmers etc...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

A Very Homemade Christmas

It seems like every year I end up making more and more gifts. I think they're more personal and fun that way? Maybe that's just me haha. I used to think it was just cheaper to make items but I've learned that's not always the case :D. It also takes a lot more time, which is running low. I'm watching the clock as I blog because I have lots to do and have to go back to work in just a few short hours. Here's an incomplete short list in pictures of what I've been working on for gifts this year:

 Pillowcases!! Wowzers I've been making these things like crazy...well I've made like 6. I made this one two times for each of my brothers, I'm sure Ty REALLY likes his haha. I didn't know how great it would be for his mission, oh well!! I'm also making 'Cars' ones for two little boys and a zebra one for a cousin still.

 I'm sure whoever has been to my FB is tired of seeing these pictures. But These are my favorite homemade items this year!! They are so fun to make, although they are time consuming, they are so relaxing to make (even though I'm very tense when I paint, esp. such small pieces.)

 I decided the girls needed boys to play with too. I remember as a kid Ty and I would always play with our action figures and you NEED the heroes to rescue the princesses. DUH Ty. So they are now a set.

I'm going to make these ones today or tomorrow for my uncle who is obsesssssed with starwars. He has a WHOLE room dedicated to Star Wars/Star Trek. RIDICULOUS. He has glass cabinets he keeps his TOYS and 'real' light sabers. hahahaha good thing I like him, otherwise I would not make these. I've never been a big fan and have a hard time staying awake during these movies.

And here's a really bad pic of one of the blankets I'm working on. It's almost done just maybe four more rows and edging. 

______________________________________________

For those interested in doing the craft night I think we decided to do it Friday, Dec 23rd. Hopefully this will work for you, let me know if it does/doesn't. I know it's pushing it pretty close to Christmas and people have lots going on. Would 6:30 work for everyone? Also I need to think of one craft we can all make together, I was thinking this might be fun:

Coconut oil lipgloss

It would be pretty cheap and we could make a lot with the ingredients. It would be a fun small last minute gift option. Or if you have any other ideas, let me know, I'm WIDE open for suggestions. I'm having a hard time coming up with ideas. 

The rest of the night can be spent working on your own crafts/gifts/wrapping gifts etc...location TBD.

(PS Michelle, I KNOW you'll be home by the 23rd so looks like you'll have to participate in our CRAFT night!! :D)

A homemade Christmas?

This year I tried to make it a goal to make some of my Christmas gifts...however...something is all funky with my hands and whenever I try to knit/crochet shooting pains go up my arms, therefore...only a few handmade items made the cut. Then I realized that I don't have to knit or crochet for my gifts to be homemade (DUH!) so let me take you on a photo journey of my piles of projects!

 

What to do with a stack of crumbled distressed old book pages? This project is in progress and might require one quick trip to the craft store if I can't find what I need soon! 

 This is a little wreath I made yesterday an hour before I had to go to work. I just cut out a bunch of stars with my CRICUT, scored them and folded them to be 3-D and glued them on to a piece of cardboard I had cut out to look like a wreath.

I used some old fabric scraps and braided them with some polka dot ribbon to make the hanging thing.

Here are some of the stars not attached to anything. They are super easy. If anyone wants to know how I made them just leave a comment and I'll put a post up about them. They are way fun and simple. I think they would make cute decorations for a tree too if you just put some ribbon on the back.

Here's one of the crocheted projects I managed to do. It's a blanket for my dad. It's not quite done but that's the beauty of crochet, I can wrap it up and give it to him and still work on it after he opens it. I want to add just a few more rows but I'm not gonna have time to finish between now and next Saturday!

This is a "homemade" gift for my aunt. I chose her name this year for our Christmas gift exchange. So while I was in Utah this summer my sly uncle took my brother and I to Manti so I could take photos of my favorite temple. Then I decided since that's where they got married I would make her a personalized picture. Now I just have to send it before it's too late ;).

 

This is another work in progress. Just a tea cup I found at an antique shop in Lynden a few weeks ago. I'll be filling it with some candle-ing goodness to make a teacup candle. I just have to find some wicks at the store and maybe a few clearance candles to melt down and re-purpose. 

Perhaps the most exciting thing to happen to me this last week was I purchased an early Christmas gift to myself! It's the 27in iMac. It's large, it's in charge and it completely befuddles me. I also purchased photoshop for it but am having troubles getting the licensing stuff to work so I haven't even used it for my photography yet which is really sad. I like it so far, it's hard because I've never used a mac (except for elementary school when we had those green dinosaurs) so it's a different platform that what I'm used to and it's taking awhile to get comfortable with it.

This is definitely NOT homemade...hahaha. Hopefully I'll get the hang of it eventually and do great things with it!

More photos of projects after they get completed....I mean IF they get completed. Busy busy busy.

i like to knit, knit, knit...(& crochet)

quick weird sidenote: after i got home from babysitting 2 weekends ago my parents had gone to an antique shop and found me a kodak brownie camera!! about a month ago we were up in lynden and i found one but it was 25 bucks so i put it back this one they got for 12! i use it as a bookend on my new cube bookcase


ironically it's holding up my photography books, some of them anyways.


this is a granny square blanket i am making for my grandpa's b-day which is this month. (P.S. where did this month go?!!!) i'm not a huge fan of the colors i decided it looks really fallish. hopefully he'll like it. i still have 2 more rows to stitch on there.


for the last two weeks my mom, her friend and i went to a knitting class on friday. i chose to learn how to cable knit and my mom did fair isle knitting. here's my hat close up:

i actually made two hats for the class i started the little blue on on friday and finished it on sat. then started the purple one on tues and finished it thurs. i just cast on another blue hat to be kids size last night.

i bought the knit simple book after the last class on friday and i have about 12 projects in there i want to do.

they might include leg warmers

fingerless gloves

and an earflap fair isle hat

....there are some projects in the crochet book i want to do to but i figure i should get "real life" stuff done first.

i've babysat for the past two full weekends but this last saturday i had some time to take photo's for the wilson family here's a link to some of the pictures: Wilson Family Pics

i'm trying to come up with a pricing sheet for people but it's hard work maybe someday i'll get it done.

well i have to start on my day i guess. i don't really have much motivation i wish i could buy some.

Projects coming out of my ears!

i have started 8 too many projects in the last 2 or 3 days. it's a little ridiculous actually. i have crocheted projects and knitted projects, i don't discriminate haha. i have hats, blankets, wrist warmers, more blankets etc all going on at the same time. some are for Christmas gifts so those i guess will have to take priority but after seeing this:

i'm having a REALLLLLY hard time not starting another one right now. if/when i ever make this, it's ALL MINE. i'm so selfish i just love love love love love love it. i'm getting the book with the square patterns from the library, that's the only thing stopping me from starting it right this minute. i guess after i make my own i can make some for gifts but we'll see how easy (hard?) it is. i love everything about this dang blanket, here is a link to the blog where i found it Lindamade.

i also have about 12 photo sessions coming up in the next 2-3 weeks, i wish you could see how excited i am for those...i don't like that it's becoming a chore. uggg oh well just this weekend i have 4. lame.

i'm getting back into this reading thing again. i don't think i've read a book in about a month. usually i read a book a week or so. lately i've realized i like listening to books on tape (ha tape, i mean ipod) instead that way i can edit photos or crochet/knit while i listen. but the book i got tuesday is the old fashioned reading, no headphones required. the book is about this girl who commits suicide and she makes these tapes where she lets people know the reasons why she killed herself. it's really interesting and sad i'm about halfway done.

this book i'm writing is still 61 pages...it's been 61 pages for about a week now. i just haven't had the time to write in it. but i have a notebook i keep with me and write ideas down, i have about 4 handwritten pages with ideas. can you say back burner until after christmas?!

let's not talk about black friday. ok let's...michelle came over around 10 and we had every intention of staying awake, well around 12:30 we decided to sleep for half an hour...then an hour...then we decided not to go at all. well i have this thing called feeling guilty so i couldn't sleep anymore so i told michelle i was going to go but she could sleep if she wanted. she got up and we were in town by a little after 2. we went to the mall for Old Navy first...they decided not to open until 4 so we went to walmart and got some great deals and they let us check out at 4 instead of 5 :). then back to the mall where we waited outside target for a TV that was already sold out. then we went to fred meyers and i got myself a nice flat screen tv. woohoooo. we got home around 7 and i slept in until 1. it ended up being good. well this was unplanned and weird so i'll finish now. have a good December!

Playing Ketchup

Well, it's Thanksgiving...I'm not exactly sure where this month went but apparently it's gone. I haven't updated at all this month I guess I was busy?! I honestly am trying to remember what happened this month b/c I have no idea where it went.
Anyways a quick update:
*I have been on the Prism diet it will be 6 weeks on monday, that means 6 weeks without flour or sugar. There is not much to eat when you take those two things away. ahhhh i will be able to add potatoes and whole wheat flour on Monday, I'm excited!
*I will be waking up..actually not going to sleep tonight to go get some good deals hopefully early tomorrow morning, we are planning on being at Old Navy at 3am yikes.
*I started writing a "book" i have 61 pages done so far. it's going to be epic....well
*I've done several family photo sessions and i'm working on editing them. Also got my Moo business cards, sooooo cool. They are mini photos that i have taken with my info on the back.
*A few weeks ago I went to a scrapbooking retreat with my mom in Cle Elum, we stayed at a really nice resort called Suncadia. Next year they are having it at the same place so I have to decided if I'm going or not...hmmm
Here are some projects I worked on while I was there. I'm surprised I got anything done all i wanted to do was sleeeeeep the whole time. I had been pretty sick the week before leaving. (H1N1??!....just kidding...maybe)

OK on to the projects:

a little mini book that folds out into this:

pretty cool eh?

i made a bunch of these scrabble tile necklace pendants, I love them!


one of my major projects was to get a bunch of these magnets made...i probably got 50 done. these are a few of my favorites:

and all of them:



another major project i worked on was my Disneyland ATC scrapbook. It's not traditional b/c it's a round about type thing.

i got quite a few pages done but i have about 150 pictures left. it will be a year in may so i'm a little behind.

these are some recipe holders i made...well covered with paper while i was there. they are magnetic so you use the hand dandy magnets i made to hold the recipe.

and last but not least is the blanket i started a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to work on it as much as I want b/c my wrist clicks when i crochet. maybe i'll knit for awhile until my wrist stops hurting.

i took pictures at the resort I just don't have a card reader for that cameras card on my laptop and I'm too lazy to transfer them right now, maybe i'll update them another time, probably not though. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!