Say Hello To My New Little Friend

I have always been both fascinated and slightly afraid of sergers.  I have always shied away from working with knit fabrics so I thought a serger would be just the thing to take me to that  next level where I feared no fabric!  Well, anticipating a decent tax refund, I  purchased(with my husband's blessing) this perfect starter serger.  I told myself that if I couldn't figure out how to thread it, it would go back because how could I use it if I couldn't thread it?  Well, it is very user friendly.  I will let you know when I construct something with it!  

I have been a busy little crafter this past week.  I made a pair of long mittens from a tutorial on A Lemon Squeezy Home.  They were easy and are so warm.  I had fleece left because JoAnns had a good sale on fleece so I decided to try something I saw in one of my books. I cut the fleece into continual strips and made a big ball of "yarn" to knit a scarf with.  It was pretty easy but if you try it, be prepared to have a slightly sore arm.  I usually don't use my rotary cutter for such a long time and I had to press down pretty hard to go through several layers of fleece.  I also had to swiffer my craft room floor because cutting that fleece makes a fuzz that goes everywhere!  All in all it was well worth it and I can't wait to see the finished scarf.  I will put it on here when I am done with it.   

I also wanted to show you my bathroom window treatment.  For those of you who saw my old treatment on my last post, I hope you agree that this is better.  When a window is in the corner of two walls, it isn't easy to come up with something you like but I am happy with this one. 

Everyone stay warm and if the weather forces you indoors-happy crafting!  Take care.  Nancy 

Snowday Monday: No School!!

I was extremely excited to find that I didn't have to go to work today!  We call them snow days but today was technically due to the temperatures being dangerous for anyone to be outside for any length of time.  There are many children who have to wait at bus stops or walk to school.  It was 25 below zero here today. 

This past week I worked on pillowcases-several of them in fact.  I made 2 blue satin ones for hubs and me.  Then I made his and hers flannel covers for our unique pillows.  I made buckwheat hull travel pillows years ago from Martha Stewart's website so I have to make pillowcases for them because they are such a unique size. On the top of the pillow pile are my personal favorite pillows.  I LOVE those neckroll shaped pillows that have little beads in them instead of stuffing.  They conform to wherever you lay on them-in my case, my neck.    I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond.  They are a great addition to your bed pillows.  Anyhow, I made special flannel covers for ours.  I love the flannel I used for mine.  It has the cutest pink rosebuds.  I thought the pink gingham check was a nice complement. 

I also wanted to show off the newest addition to my craft room.  My good friend made me a beautiful memo board for Christmas.  She used a beautiful blue toile decorator weight fabric because she knows I am crazy for anything toile.  I love French Country(as well as lodge and cottage style decorating). 

I have many projects on the go at the moment, but I am especially excited about a new window treatment for my bathroom.  Several years ago, we redid our master bath.  We painted the walls red and all the trim was left clear pine and I wanted all the accents black wrought iron.  I found the perfect fabric at my local JoAnns and made a fabric shower curtain.  I had bought every last bit of that fabric.  When I went to sew a window treatment for the one small window, I didn't have enough.  I made do, but I was never happy with it.  Plus, because the window is right next to the closet wall, the curtain rod never even allowed for the valance to cover the moldings on the window.   I found out the name of the fabric, discovered it had been discontinued, and searched  all this time on ebay and the web to get more.  I purchased black star metal swag holders thinking this would be the way to go for that window.  Well, I finally was able to purchase several yards of the Daisy Kingdom Liberty and Melon Tossed Patchwork Star fabric.  Finally!   I am going to leave you with the before picture of the window.  Next time, I will have finished the swag and will show you the after.  I hope it is all I hope it will be! 

I hope everyone stays warm and cozy wherever you are.  Take care all!    Nancy

It's A New Year!

Happy Monday everyone and Happy New Year! I couldn't wait to show you the sign my husband made for my new craft room. I had bought him a sign-making kit a while back that involved routing out the letters. I think he did a fantastic job. I love it and I love him for always thinking of me. Thanks honey!

I have made a few more than usual resolutions for 2011 and I hope I can keep at least a few of them! I am always hoping to lose a little weight(or alot)and this year as I have passed my middle forties, I am also striving for making some of my important health numbers better(cholesterol, blood pressure-you know the drill). I am trying not to be so anxious and nervous about everything and let the little things slide. Now, onto the fun resolutions....

I have a silly habit of wanting to collect things, not USE them. I will buy gorgeous dishes and be thrilled I have them and put them away in my hutch and there they will stay. I buy crafting equipment, and never actually use the things. Well, life is too short. It is time I used beautiful things that I love. I took a step in that direction this past weekend. I used two pieces of crafting equipment-one of the things I have had for years and never had it out of the box! It was a blast! I am so glad I finally stopped admiring my stuff from afar!

I made a fabric shoe bag to take my shoes to school. In the winter I spend every morning on the sidewalks at school(which oddly enough are never shoveled) getting my preschoolers off the buses they come in on. Subsequently, I wear boots with serious traction and warmth. They aren't the prettiest but they are highly functional. So, I have brought my shoes in my big tote bag every day like this:

Don't you think this is an improvement? I was proud of myself-I made it without a pattern. I just designed it and figured it out. I used my new "crafting power tools" to make matching bias tape for a drawstring casing. The rotary cutter(pictured above) was temperamental but I got the hang of it after much practicing. The bias tape maker was awesome right from the get go! I will be using that again soon. I even made a little label with my sewing machine.

It feels nice to challenge yourself to do something and follow through with it.

I hope you all have a great week. Happy crafting and take care. Nancy