Holiday Shabby Blossoms!

*Don't forget today is the last day to enter my Fall Giveaway!*

Holiday Shabby Blossoms are here! I was asked to do a custom order of Blossoms for a friend. She wanted hairclips for her little girls for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love how they turned out! I plan on listing a few sets in the shop soon!

Thanksgiving
Christmas
Love the Christmas Shabbies! The buttons look like candy!
Forgive the bad lighting. My craft schedule has not been adjusted to the time change and it's been getting dark EARLY.

*this flower is based on the tutorial provided by Maize Hutton.

Fall Giveaway!

I had a “Handmade Fall Boutique” at my house this weekend and it was so much fun! I have several creative and crafty friends so we invited everyone we know to stop by for a day of shopping, some yummy treats, and a few giveaways then we set up the boutique around my house and backyard! I wish I could say I had pictures because everyone’s displays were great, but sadly I do not…we were that busy! No time for pictures. Craziness!

I was so blessed by all our friends and family who came out to support us that I wanted to bless you…my faithful blog readers…too! I am giving away a “Grab and Go Wristlet” and coordinating tiny snap wallet. To learn more about how the wristlet came to be read this.

There are several ways to enter!

1. Comment below (I love your comments and will reply to each of you if your email is linked to your blog)!

2. Become a Fan of Sew Chatty on Facebook and post on the Wall so I know you stopped by!

3. Once you're a fan, suggest Sew Chatty to your Facebook friends and tell them about the giveaway too! Make sure you let me know in comments that you shared the Sew Chatty love!

You can also help me spread the word on your blog, Facebook, and Twitter! Feel free to use this tweet…

“I just entered @sewchatty’s blog giveaway for a Grab & Go Wristlet & coordinating ruffley wallet! You should enter too! http://bit.ly/agXzkh”

Winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Friday 11/12!

Good luck friends!

-E

Custom Orders I’ve been working on…

Over the last week or so I have been working on several custom orders for the shop. I have been blessed to be so busy over the summer!

Here is what I’ve been working on…

Cloth Napkins

A Weight Watchers Pocket Guide Cover

and matching ruffley sunglasses case…also blogged here. 

Ruffley Coffee Cozy

And my FAVORITE…a Ruffley Bible Cover (super cute matching tote not pictured)

 

I am linking up to lots of great blogs this week.

Click here to visit their sites for los of fun crafty ideas!

NOTE: I’ll only be taking custom orders for the holidays through November 1st so be sure to get your orders in as soon as possible! Have a great day!

-E

Who’s a Weight Watcher?

If you are a Weight Watcher like me (I am actually an employee too!) you probably LOVE your handy dandy pocket guide! However, you probably don’t love how beat up it gets while living in your purse. Of course the plastic sleeve we give out in the meeting is nice to have. And we have the wallet looking snap covers…functional, but not as cute as I would like. I thought to myself “hey, I could totally make a cute one with fabric!”…..and here it is!

This one is for a Weight Watchers co-worker, but I am for sure going to make one for myself too! Let me know if you are interested and I will whip up a few for the shop. Just let me know what colors you’d like to see!

Linking my pocket guide cover up to lots of parties this week!

Be sure to check out

and these GREAT blogs for lots of fun crafty ideas!

Monday: Grilled Lime Chicken with brown rice, homemade salsa, and guac

Tuesday: Bleu Cheese Pecan Chicken Wraps

Wednesday: Bfast for dinner! Scrambled eggs, bagels with cream cheese, bacon

Thursday: Leftover Buffet

Friday: Subway…we’re gong to Disneyland!!!

Weekend: no cooking for me! birthday party and girls night on Saturday and beach party on Sunday…whoo hoo!

Check out OrgJunkie for more great menu planning ideas!

Happy Monday everyone! -E

Sweet Baby Girl Quilt…machine binding tips!

I just finished this sweet little baby quilt.

This was a custom order for a friend who is attending a baby shower this weekend. The nursery is pink and brown so I made the quilt to coordinate. It’s an alphabet and ballerina theme with pink and brown and cream and aqua...very little girl! I used a layer of Warm and Natural quilt batting, backed it in a snuggly soft pink and brown flannel, and bound it (on the machine…such a cheater…see tips below!) in a coordinating pink and cream polka dot. I just love polka dot binding!  

 

 

 

I used a Super-Sized 9 Patch pattern which is GREAT because it actually makes 3 quilts! So yes, I have enough fabric left to make two more quilts. Just let me know if you would like one and I will get you on my custom order list!

Now for those machine binding tips…

• For making and attaching binding to the quilt…I use this AWESOME tutorial at Crazy Mom Quilts
• Don’t get me wrong…I do enjoy binding a quilt by hand, but because I needed to get this quilt done rather quickly, I didn’t have the time to spend 3-4 hours binding. I had seen this tutorial at Red Pepper Quilts that details how to tack down the binding on the machine instead of by hand. Great tutorial and great comments in her comment section that definitely helped along the way. Since this was my first time, it’s not as perfect as I would have liked, but here are the things I learned…
• IRON!!! Once the binding is attached, you will be working with one side at a time sewing corner to corner. Press the binding out with lots of steam, then press it to the back with lots of steam. Make sure when you are pressing it to the back, you are covering the stitch line where you sewed the binding to the front of the quilt.
• Pin well!!! I saw in the comment section that someone said to use small binder clips instead of pins…GENIOUS! I did that and it worked well, however I didn’t iron super well on my first edge which meant it didn’t get binder clipped as well as it could have which meant I had a few little “holes” that I had to touch up by hand. I ironed and binder clipped very evenly on the other three sides and it turned out much better. So much better in fact that the next time I used this method of quilt binding, I will make my strips 2.25 instead of 2.5 because there was a bit of excess once it was sewn down. 

• Finally, you are just stitching in the ditch on the front of the quilt sewing corner to corner backstitching at the start and stop to really tack down the corners. Repeat on all four sides…so easy and SO much faster than doing it by hand.

Hope you all are having a blessed day! -E

Vintage Inspired Aprons.

I am launching several new product lines this week the first of which is Vintage Inspired Aprons. These cute little aprons are sure to make you feel like a Domestic Diva! Vintage inspired prints with with just the right amount of feminine detail. The necktie on the apron is made adjustable with a d-ring. The bottom is ruffled for a bit of flair. I have also added a detachable Shabby Blossom for extra cuteness. You can leave the Blossom on the apron or take it off to add to your favorite t-shirt, sweater, purse, etc...this one is currently available in the shop with a few more being posted throughout the week. Now go do that cooking in style!

 

Something pretty to hold your shades…

The hot summer sun has FINALLY hit us in the O.C. and I never go anywhere without my sunglasses! I was carrying a big boxy case around in my bag, but it took up a lot of space and it wasn’t cute (it’s the one that came from the eye doc!) so I whipped up something pretty! Here it is…

Protect your sunglasses from scratches with my new ruffled sunglasses case! It's fully lined and padded. It's deep enough so that you don't have to worry about your shades slipping out. Cute and functional! I have four currently available in THE SHOP!

In need of a super cute summer accessory?

I have just the thing! As I’m sure you can tell, I am kind of on a ruffle kick lately and this lightweight summer scarf is the perfect cascading ruffle to dress up your outfit! I am a California girl through and through so I think it looks great over a simple tee or tank with jeans a flip flops! Enjoy! Here are the two that are currently listed in the shop! I love them both…can’t decide which is my favorite!

   

This Mama’s got a brand new bag…and some new accessories, too!

I made myself this bag around Mother’s Day and I love it. It’s a great Mom bag for when I am out and about with Carter. But I wanted something a little more sophisticated and “me” for when I am not in Mommy mode…which doesn't happen very often, but I still wanted a new bag just in case I go on a date with the Hubbs or out with the girls or something! Here it is! Isn’t she pretty??? My very first Shabby Blossom Bag. It turned out to be a little smaller than I had hoped, but surprisingly it fits everything I need to carry with me!

The bag is made with super sturdy canvas. The band and bag lining are a gray Moda print that I am in love with and, of course, I couldn’t resist adding a mustard Shabby Blossom with a pink fabric covered button. I am addicted to making fabric covered buttons!

This is the complete contents of my bag. All the essentials that I need with me at all times. I was a Girl Scout…I am always overly prepared! I have a pen, my wallet, my Crackberry, keys, stack of gift cards and coupons (going to need to make something for those soon…), my business card tin, tissues, wipes (I will always carry wipes…even when Carter is in college! I use them as much as he does!), and my Weight Watchers Pocket Guide (a new factoid about me…I am a receptionist for WW a few days a week…lost 30 lbs 2 years ago and being a receptionist helps me keep it off!).

As you can see, I also carry several Sew Chatty accessories with me. The 2 pouches (the pleated owls and the gray one) hold all the little odds and ends that would otherwise get lost in the bottom of my bag! One is basically a traveling medicine cabinet, and the other has gum, and Gatorade packets (see my Vegas vacation post!), my WW name badge, etc…I also have a matching sunglasses case, a ruffley coffee cozy, and checkbook cover…all made by me and all available in the shop within the next few weeks, so keep checking back. You can also follow me on Twitter @sewchatty and become a fan on Facebook for all the latest Sew Chatty news!

Here is everything all tucked into my bag. The cards/coupons go in the back pocket, the Berry goes in the front pocket, and my keys get hooked to the little piece of ric rac I sewed into the bag so they don’t get lost…ahhhh…I love being organized!

More Anthro Inspired Headbands!

I got a lot of great feedback about my Anthro Inspired Headbands so I decided to make more. A fabric wrapped headband and three little frayed rosettes. So simple and sweet. They are a great compliment to any hairstyle! One of my headbands got listed in this Etsy Treasury. They are going very quickly so if you want one head over to the shop soon!  Check my sold items for the ones that got snatched up. I have lots of those fabrics left so I can remake them if you’d like.

Here is the gray headband got listed in the treasury and below are the others that are currently for sale in the shop!

 

ECLIPSE MANIA!

I know I’m a nerd, but I love the Twilight series! Such fun mindless entertainment. I went to see the movie with my friend on Saturday night. I was out of town (will post about our trip to Vegas soon!) otherwise I probably would have been one of the crazies that camped out for 12 hours before the midnight showing! Anyhow, we had made a lot of Twilight Shabby Blossoms to wear in our hair (to go with our Team Edward t-shirts of course!) and we have several left so I thought I would pass the fun along to you and list them in my shop! I only have a few left so if you want one act quickly! They are made from a black tone on tone cotton with a red fabric covered button. The backing has an alligator clip that easily clips into your hair. Looks great with any hairstyle!

Anthropologie Inspired Headbands…

I have said it before and I will say it again…I LOVE Anthropologie.  I do not however, love their ridiculously high prices on things I can make myself. So now I am on a quest to make some pretty things that I otherwise could not afford! I love their “Three Little Roses Headband”. So pretty and simple and would go with everything I own, but there is NO WAY I would fork over $32 for it. Yes that’s right this Anthro headband costs $32!!! Craziness.

Below are the 2 I made using Goody headbands and some fabric scraps. One is a brown headband with unbleached muslin rosettes and the other is a black headband with gray rosettes. I heart them and because I think you will too, I will be listing them in the shop soon! What colors would you like to see? Do you like the muted solid fabrics or would you like to see a print on those little rosettes? Comment below and let me know! I promise I won’t be charging $32 for them…maybe more like $10!

Aprons…3 of a kind!

I completed an order this weekend for our former next door neighbor. She' is in college now and moving into an apartment with a few girls she dormed with last year. She wanted for aprons their new kitchen! I used 3 coordinating Michael Miller pink and white prints lined with some more of the florally Robert Kaufman London Calling. I added a shabby little frayed ruffle to the pocket too. Love these aprons!

A bouquet of Shabby Blossoms.

I am proud to announce that the Shabby Blossom Headbands have finally hit the shop! I currently have 6 different colors/prints available. These headbands are a great accessory to snaz up that summer hairdo! They are great for little girls and women alike.  Here they are!