{Made With Love Link Party}

Hi friends! Happy Sunday to you. I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. The declutter bug hit me and I gutted Carter's room and the sewing room and moved furniture and hit up Ikea...happy happy happy! Spring cleaning is my love language.

Thanks to everyone who came and linked up last week! It was our biggest link up in a really long time! 

This weeks featured link is:

...this sweet little girl's garden party linked up by my sweet friend Ali from My Third True Love. All the details are so adorable so pop on over to he blog and check it out!

Alright party people, are you ready for this week's link party?

Let’s get to it! I'll be featuring my favorite links on the Facebook Fan Page throughout the week! Are you a fan? I also try to Pin my favorites to Pinterest. The top clicked link will be featured during next weeks party! 

{Just a few party guidelines}

• Link up your crafts, recipes, home decor....anything that has been made by you! {Multiple links to different posts are fine, but please no Etsy shop items}
• Link back here by grabbing the super cute button on my sidebar and posting it either in your post or somewhere on your blog to let others know you've joined the party!
• If you see something you like, click on it and go leave them a comment. Everyone loves comments!
• Lastly, feel free to help me spread the word about Made with Love Monday! Follow me on Twitter {just click on my little Twitter button} and tweet about the party. Make sure to @ tag me so I can RT you!

Thanks for stopping by! Now go link up something crafty!

{SHOP UPDATE: Tech Wallets}

Hi there! My Etsy shop got a fun little addition today. The Tech Wallets are here! 

tech wallets

After several weeks of hard work, I'm proud to say these beauties are officially available! I couldn't love them more!

They are small and compact, but hold all your essentials.

 Flap velcro closure keeps everything nice and secure.

 The zippered pouch has to be the best feature. Perfect for smaller items you need to keep safe like cash and coins. 

Here's what I stick in mine:

 My phone, chapstick, business cards, cash, debit, and ID. This Tech Wallet goes with me everywhere.

See how neatly everything fits inside?

There are a limited number available in the shop so hurry over and snag yours!

Have a happy day friends!

{RECIPE: Gooey Butter Cookies}

Hi friends! I'm sharing a tasty treat with you today!

This is one of my go to cookie recipes and it couldn't be easier! I like recipes that are super simple with very few ingredients. Ain't nobody got time to measure out a million different random ingredients. These have 4 ingredients. You're welcome.

Gooey Butter Cookies:

1 stick of butter

1/4 tsp vanilla
1 egg

8oz. block cream cheese, room temp

1 box of your favorite cake mix {we like the funfetti mix with these cookies, but your favorite mix will be great too}

*optional powdered sugar for dipping

Directions:

Beat butter, vanilla, egg, and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Mix in dry cake mix. Chill dough for 30 minutes. Preheat over to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment {because who has time to wash a cookie sheet?}. I use a cookie scoop and drop them onto the cookie sheet as is. Using this method, I get 24 cookies. Optional method: You can drop them by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar and roll into balls. Then place on the cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Yields 2-3 dozen cookies depending on how big you make them.

They come out light and fluffy and cakey and AMAZINGLY delicious. 

Enjoy friends!

{Made With Love Link Up}

I hope you all had a great weekend and celebrated St. Patty's day in style! 

I made a fun knit scarf and painted my nails green and made corned beef and cabbage for dinner. That's about as festive as I get!

Thanks so much for continuing to link up to Made With Love each week! 

This week's featured link is...

 ...this darling tote linked up by 2nd Story Sewing. I love all the little details especially the closure on this bag! I'll definitely be grabbing this pattern!

Alright party people, are you ready for this week's link party?

Let’s get to it! I'll be featuring my favorite links on the Facebook Fan Page throughout the week! Are you a fan? I also try to Pin my favorites to Pinterest. The top clicked link will be featured during next weeks party! 

{Just a few party guidelines}

• Link up your crafts, recipes, home decor....anything that has been made by you! {Multiple links to different posts are fine, but please no Etsy shop items}
• Link back here by grabbing the super cute button on my sidebar and posting it either in your post or somewhere on your blog to let others know you've joined the party!
• If you see something you like, click on it and go leave them a comment. Everyone loves comments!
• Lastly, feel free to help me spread the word about Made with Love Monday! Follow me on Twitter {just click on my little Twitter button} and tweet about the party. Make sure to @ tag me so I can RT you!

Thanks for stopping by! Now go link up something crafty!

{Peace Out Google Reader...Hello Bloglovin'!}

Hi guys! Did you hear the news??? Google Reader is going away. Bust. If you're like me, that's how we read all our favorite blogs sooooo....now what?

 via

Well, it seems as though the majority of the blogging community is headed towards Bloglovin'! I'm a fan. Let me tell you why!

Bloglovin' is EASY to use. You can import your google reader subscriptions painlessly without missing any posts from your favorite bloggers. The site is so nice and clean and organized. They also have several options for you as to how to follow your blogs. You can read directly from their site, have the posts emailed to you, or my favorite...their app!

via

The app is fabulous. I've been using it all week and I love it! Simple to navigate and leave comments. One of my favorite features is their "top blogs" category. I always love finding new bloggers so this has been great! All around, I give Bloglovin' two thumbs up.

To get started with the move to Bloglovin' follow this link. Can you follow Sew Chatty on Bloglovin'? Yep! Just clicked the little "BL" button under Let's Connect on my sidebar or click this link HERE.

We have some really fun DIY's, tutorials, recipes, and all around fun planned out and I don't want you to miss anything! 

Have a happy day :)

{DIY: Shower Curtain to Front Door Curtain TUTORIAL}

Hi there! My mom was visiting a few weeks ago and she helped me with a little front door makeover!

I don't know about you, but as soon as spring hits, I want to redecorate ALL THE THINGS.

I had big plans to make some new curtains for the window on our front door, but after pricing out the amount of fabric I would have needed, it would have been over $35. No thanks! 

 On a recent trip to Home Goods, I ran accross this awesome Cynthia Rowley paisley shower curtain for $14. Done.

This was SUPER easy to make! Here we go!

All I did was fold down the edge that has the button holes for the curtain hooks. I folded down their existing hem line which was the perfect size for the rod I was hanging it on it. I stitched it down with a 3/8" seam allowance.

Then I hung it up on the door and measured how much I needed to cut off. Sorry I don't have a pic of that part. I marked where I needed to cut plus and extra inch for the seam.

After I cut it to the length I needed, I just hemmed up the bottom edge. I pressed it up 1/2 inch, then another 1/2 inch and stitched it down at 3/8" seam allowasnace.

That's it! Easy peasy and way more cost effective than trying to make my own from scratch! I love when that happens! And guess what?!?

Since I was able to cut so much off the bottom, there is tons of fabric left to make some pillows for the couch! 

Have a great day!

{Made With Love Link Up...& a quick shop update}

Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Lots of fun stuff is going on here this week!

I released a new scarf pattern...

My hubby is making me a new photo backdrop to photograph products for the shop...gray stain. Swoon.

and I'm releasing a brand new item this week...the Tech Wallet!

...it's perfect for your essentials! Phone, debit card, ID, cash, chap-stick. Bam. Zippered pocket and velcro closure keep everything nice and secure. I use mine everyday and couldn't love it more! Be looking for these to hit the shop this week!

Alright party people, are you ready for this week's link party?

Let’s get to it! I'll be featuring my favorite links on the Facebook Fan Page throughout the week! Are you a fan? I also try to Pin my favorites to Pinterest. The top clicked link will be featured during next weeks party! 

{Just a few party guidelines}

• Link up your crafts, recipes, home decor....anything that has been made by you! {Multiple links to different posts are fine}
• Link back here by grabbing the super cute button on my sidebar and posting it either in your post or somewhere on your blog to let others know you've joined the party!
• If you see something you like, click on it and go leave them a comment. Everyone loves comments!
• Lastly, feel free to help me spread the word about Made with Love Monday! Follow me on Twitter {just click on my little Twitter button} and tweet about the party. Make sure to @ tag me so I can RT you!

Thanks for stopping by! Now go link up something crafty!

{new crochet pattern...Puff Stitch Button Cowl}

Hi friends! It has been a very productive week around here and that feels great!!!

My new pattern hit the shop today!

Grab some pretty yarn and this fun pattern and you'll have a beautiful scarf in no time! This cowl is perfect for the transition into spring. Lightweight with a nice drape. It's the perfect accessory to finish off any outfit!

This is a great pattern for someone new to crochet who'd like to learn a new stitch! The pattern is very simple and is easy to follow. You should have knowledge of the chain stitch, double crochet, puff stitch & slip stitch. You should also know how to weave in your ends with a darning needle. If you need to learn the puff stitch, Crochet Geek on You Tube has a great tutorial.

You can purchase the pattern in the shop HERE. Happy stitching friends!

{FOSSIL Knock-off Leather Pouch}

Hi there! I'm so excited to share a really fun project with you today! After browsing the Fossil site to see what was new for Spring, I ran across a super cute little coin pouch that I knew immediately I wanted to try and recreate.

Last November I went fabric shopping in the garment district of LA with some of my best bloggy buddies and snagged some really great leather on the cheap. I've never worked with leather before, but it was really fun! Can't wait to use it for more little projects.

 

 Cute right? Here is the original...

Alrighty, let me show you how I made it!

Materials:

Leather scraps

Fabric Scraps

9" zipper (the finished pouch is about 4x6" so a 7" will work, but I like to use longer ones)

*optional zipper pull charm and jump ring

Tools:

Leather needles

fabric glue stick

matching thread

applique template {I just hand drew the heart and used a glass to make the circle}

something to round your edges, like the glass you used to make your circle

marking pencil

basic sewing supplies

You want to cut your leather and lining pieces 4.5x6.5". I used a 2.5" strip of contrasting leather and pieced them together.

Piece leather together with a 1/4" seam allowance.

 Take your cup and marking pencil and round all your corners off. Do this on both the leather and fabric lining.

 Now you are going to make your applique. I didn't take any pictures of this process {oops} but it's fairly simple so I'll just explain.

• Trace your template onto the back side of each fabric. 
• Cut your shapes out.
• Glue your heart to your circle using your glue stick.
• Stitch your heart to your circle. I like to use a finishing stitch to do this, but you can use whatever stitch you like.
• Next, you'll glue your circle to your front piece with your glue stick.Allow to dry a few minutes before stitching down. Go grab a piece of chocolate :)
• Stitch down your circle to your front piece. I used a triple stitch at 1/8" allowance. I like that the edges of the circle will fray over time, but if you don't use a finishing/satin stitch here too.

 Next you are going to install your zipper and finish it off just like a regular zip pouch. Need a tutorial for that? Click HERE.

Clip your corners and trim your zipper. I like to use zippers that are a few inches longer than they need to be that way I can center them and not worry about puckering.

 Hand stitch your lining closed. Okay, fine you can use the machine, but a hand sewn seam is much neater and more professional looking. Tuck your lining in, fill it with business cards or your your phone and cash and you are DONE!

*optional, but super cute...I made a little zipper pull with a charm from Michael's and a jump ring. Yes, I painted the jump ring with nail polish because it was silver and the charm is not.

 I hope you enjoy this tutorial! If you make one, tag me on Instagram @sewchatty so I can see it! 

Happy Stitching!