Christmas is Coming

The holiday bazaar went pretty well. I sold 3 pain pillows, 2 scarves, a coin purse and a reg purse. I was very nervous when I set up and for about the first hour, but after a while I wasnt so nervous. There was another woman there who was selling the same stuff I was. She brought a lot more and her purses were great. I think my pain pillows are better though and my purses were a different design. Hers were very nice though.

My friend sells partylite candles and she finally convinced me to sell them with her. She makes pretty good money doing it and she has loads of free stuff. I love partylite stuff too. I have another friend who sells it and the two of them are competitors. I hope she isnt mad for me signing under my other friend. I really hope she isnt mad.

Anyway, I have been thinking about Christmas decorating. Last year I had no decorations whatsoever. I had to buy everything so I only bought what we needed for our tree. This year I want to make some decorations but also buy some things that I cant make myself. Joanns has some great sales on decorations coming up soon and as long as I have some extra cash I am going to splurge on some. I am thinking of putting lights up around my window in the living room. Stockings near the fireplace, but I want some more.
Maybe I will make Christmas potholders to replace my everyday ones...
hmm... anyone have some other ideas? Maybe I will prowl Craftster for some inspiration.

Tutorial Carnival

Hello everyone! I have been searching craft blogs lately for tutorials and I think that they need one place where you can find them all at once. So I have created the Tutorial Carnival. Good luck finding what you need!

Please let me know if you have a tutorial you would like to add to this list.

Doggie Leash by Anna Maria
Chenille Backed Blanket by Craft Apple
Corkboard Wall Pocket by Craft Apple
Patchwork Notebook Cover by Craft Apple
Quilted Cards by Craft Apple
Purse Organizer by The Giving Flower
Tutorials by Creative Little Daisy are found here -a craft apron, belt, purse, pillow, and keychain
Headband by Heather Bailey
Bittie Booties by Heather Bailey
Yo-Yos by Heather Bailey
Continuous Quilt Binding by Heather Bailey
Stuffed Mouse At Sewing Stars
A Cat Basket by il Bloggo
Pointy Kitty by Wee Wonderfuls
Pocket Bag by JuJu Loves Polka Dots
My Little Mochi Tutorials -Pincushion, kitty and rabbit, plus more
One Hour Craft has a lot of tutorials
Whipup.net has a long list of honored tutorials
Mundane Superhero's Tuts
Kitchen Cozies and Fabric Flowers at Wise Craft
Soft Tree Pattern from Little Birds
Blinds Tutorial by two straight lines
Molly Chicken's Tutorials
Craftypod Podcasts
Craft Sanity Podcasts
Apron Patterns at tie one on
What The Craft has a list of Tutorials
Craftster.org Purse, Bag, Wallet Tutorials List
Bubble Bag Tutorial
Pleated Tote Bag Tutorial
Mini Duffel Bags Tutorial
Camera Cozy Tutorial
Christmas Ornaments Tutorial
Stuffed Felt Monster
Stuffed Elephant
Vintage Plushie Patterns

New Added 11-29-06
Craftlog has lots of tutorials
Allsorts has a few tutorials
Apron Thrift Girl has a cool banner tut
Cloth Shoes Tutorial from Stardust Shoes
Blanket and Bags Tutorials from Happy Things
Shoulder Bag Tutorial from Tiny Happy
Tissue Holder from Whip Up
Zipper Pouch Tutorial from Twelve22

New Added 11-30-06
Origami Advent Calender by My Little Mochi
Create a Mantle Village via Kiddley
Actually Kiddley has quite a bit of various craft tutorials


Added 12-02-06
Tonia Cape via Craftzine
Hat by Curiously Crafty
Felt Garland A New Tutorial by Anna Maria

New Added 12-05-06
Front Zipper Pouch by Thimble
Personalized Labels
Installing an zipper pocket inside a purse
Flower Pincushion
ipod Cozy Tutorial from Julieree
Notebook Pencil Holder by One Red Robin
Jingle Bell Slippers, thanks to Martha Stewart
Make Up Bag Tut by Abyquilt

New Added 12-07-06
Christmas Crafts by Crafty Chica
Pocket Scarf by Cutting Edge Mag
Long List of Tutorials by Thimble
Gift Idea Tutorials in Craftster
List of Tutorials by Not Martha

Added 12-08-06
Owl Ornaments by Anna Maria
Placemat Pillows by Creative Little Daisy
Make and Grow a Loofa by Groovy Green
Yo-Yo Christmas Tree Ornament
Lots of Free Patterns at Sewing Stuff
Patterns for Period Clothing
Reversable Placemats from Martha Stewart
Strawberry Pincushions from Martha Stewart
Roving Angel by Echos of a Dream
Natural Dyes by Echos of a Dream

Added 12-09-06
Fabric Clockface by Creative Little Daisy
Felt Ornaments by Sunshine Creations

Added 12-15-06
Modge Podge Presents by Anna Maria
Santa Lucia Dolls by Posie Gets Cozy
Puffy Poppy Tutorial by Juju Loves Polka Dots

Thats just the tip of the iceburg. I have many more to add soon. Enjoy!

More Finished Stuff

I have more stuff finished! The Red and White wallet I am keeping because I love how it came out. I am not sure if I want to keep the brown and blue one or if I want to sell it. Didn't they come out great? The purse I made to sell. I am taking it to the Holiday Bazaar at my friends house tomorrow. What do you think?

Holiday Bazaar in Lancaster, Ca

Everyone is invited to a Holiday Bazaar tomorrow in Lancaster, Ca. I will be selling my handmade goodies there. I have been sewing like crazy since Friday. I made 5 large and 5 small pain packs, a couple purses, 4 clutches, a wallet, 5 tissue pouches, 3 coin pouches, and assorted other goodies. Whatever doesnt sell is going on Etsy. I will post pictures of the event later. Leave a comment if you are interested in coming and I will email you the flyer.
Monday Nov 27th at 530-9pm. See you there!

Happy Thanksgiving

I wanted to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving! Ours was lovely. My family got along great, the food was terrific and we had a ball playing TriBond after dinner. I am thankful for everyone who enjoys my blog and all my family and friends. I hope we all have Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving Cleaning is Spring Cleaning's Nightmare

This past week I have been so busy. I havent gotten much sewing done at all and I have a holiday bazaar I am selling at on the 27th to prepare for. For the last few years Cowboy and I have argued about where to go for the holidays so we decided last year that this time we are celebrating the holidays at our house. If people want to visit us for Thanksgiving thats great, but we are staying home. My parents are coming, but of course Cowboys family is not. Thats what I preferred anyway.

I have been cleaning the house for most of the day. I set up our fish tank, vacuumed every tiny crevasse in the Dining room that my hubby and I organized last night. I still have several loads of laundry to put away, a bathroom to clean, bedroom to clean, kitchen to clean (the kitchens the worst off). So I have much to do.

I am sewing up some cute paisley clutches. I will post pics soon.

A Moment in Time

I adore photography. Especially nature photography. There is something about capturing just the right moment in time, capturing it forever on film (or on a card nowadays). I have had my moms camera for the last week and I haven't had much time to go picture taking however when I went to the library I did take this photo which I am very pleased with.

Now this type of tree coloration is not common where I am from. The city recently started planting more colorful trees as part of their beautification project. I think this is indeed beautiful.
So is this.



My little pumpkin playing in the leaves. She is... I love her. I hope everyone is blessed with a child they love.

Quilts in Progress

I finally got the pics I have been taking on disk. First I will start with a quilt top that is still not quilted but the quilt top is finished.

Isn't it beautiful! My very first quilt.

It isn't very big. Its the size of a larger baby quilt. I did this one without a pattern. It obviously wasn't hard. Its a simple block quilt, but I am very happy with the results and I cant wait to finish it.

I was thinking of my mom when I picked out the colors. Her favorite color is purple. I know that she is going to try and snag this quilt from me. Thank god I didn't make a purple pair of slippers.. My mom is a slipper thief. As soon as you hear those words, "oh I like these, they are so comfy", you know that your slippers will be gone by the next morning.

I am in the process of another quilt top. This one is black and white patterns with Turquoise patterned fabric. It is a Rail Fence quilt that I got out of a 100 Rotery Cut Quilts book from my trusty library.

The last pic is where I am at now. All the strips are sewn together and cut into squares. Now I have to sew the squares together. I have a friend that saw this quilt in the making and now he wants one. Same colors and everything but he wants his about twin sized. That's fine with me but I am not going to make it a Rail Fence quilt. I am not a patient person so I am going to make his a block quilt. What I will probably do is use 2 or 4 different fabrics and make a 4 square block. Something like that. I told him that he would have to buy the fabric because I am poor. I cant afford to get that much fabric at once.

I enjoy making quilts. I am rather impatient when it comes to crafts so I like things that I can finish quickly. Quilting is not finished quickly but small quilts are so varied in the patterns and there are so many steps that you have to pay attention to that I don't get very bored. I have plans for my next quilt already. I am a little afraid of how it will come out though. I am going to make that 4 square block I mentioned before with pick brocade. I know brocade is so slippery so I am worried it will come out strange. Its for my daughter though. She isn't going to care if the sewing isn't perfect.

The fabric is so shiny that it is difficult to get a decent photo of but trust me, it will be beautiful.

Please Excuse the Ranting

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I HATE MY INLAWS!!!! My father in law and my sister in law! I wish they would drop off the face of the planet! Cowboys sister has her mind so filled with crap from their father that she is convinced we are taking advantage of him and being mean. The man is like Hitler! When I was pregnant with Brae he was cruel to me. Absolutely cruel. I had horrible morning sickness. I had to take medication so that I could at least hold down water. This lasted the entire 9 months. He would boil chicken, the smell made me puke and he knew it, every day. He ruined an entire set of my brand new pot by using a hammer in them to try to break up rock solid chicken breasts. He criticized everything I bought from the store, and then ate it all within 2 days and refused to allow me to buy more food. Hello! You just ate the only thing I could keep down you bastard and you have the nerve to ridicule me for buying it again and again! I hate you!
My poor husband has been helping his father, instead of getting a full time job, because he claims that he cannot do anything himself. BULL SHIT!!! I have seen you make your own food, drive yourself to the store. You are not an invalid. It is not Cowboys responsibility to help you until you die. I would gladly help you right into your coffin!
He claims that Cowboy doesn't have any goals. How can he! Everything he has ever wanted to do you have stopped! He wanted to go to LAW SCHOOL BUT YOU REFUSED TO LET HIM GO TO COLLEGE. What sort of parent refuses to allow his child to go to college. "Carry on the family business that you hate".
And his sister, who Cowboy had not seen or heard of in almost 20 years suddenly shows up and has the audacity to tell Cowboy that I am controlling him! No I wont let him drive 30 min. one way 2x a day for nothing when gas costs $2.50 a gallon! I make the damn money around here and I have more important things to spend it on... like food for my daughter! Yes Cowboy is going to celebrate his birthday with me because that's what he wants to do. You didn't even remember the right day! And yes some of my stuff is in the garage but you can throw it away, it is trash thanks to the thousands of mice that he refused to put traps out for and now the cat piss that is on everything. Throw it all away.
She is so misinformed she looks like a fool. And, like a fool, she doesn't even realize it! My religion is my business, my family is my business, my choice of school is my choice, everything in my life IS MY CHOICE and I don't give a rats ass if you don't like what I do. I DON'T CARE!!!
Take a hike off the cliff and take your psychotic father with you! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Ok I feel better. Anyone want to adopt an aging psychopath and his fool of a daughter. Please I will ship them to you... on me.

Martha Is a Crafty Genius

Cowboy and I dropped Pumpkin off at Grandma's last night and went to our favorite relaxation spot, Barnes and Noble.

Which is where I came across Martha Stewart's Holiday Handmade Gifts Mag Special. It is FABULOUS!

Now I was never into Martha very much. I thought that she should have gotten off on the prison mess, all the men do. But after looking at this magazine I have decided that the women is a genius (where the hell have I been?). The stuff in here is so great! And its so simple to make.

I was looking at the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Craft Magazine and I couldn't find one easy thing to make, or even something I wanted to make.

I was completely out of cash last night so after I cash my paycheck today I am going back to buy it.

Started A New Quilt

I bought fat eighths from Joann's the other day and began a rail fence quilt. I picked 7 patterns in black and white and 7 patterns in turquoise. I cut them into 22 in strips and I arranged them randomly into 3 strip blocks. I have about 4 strip sets left to sew then I can start cutting the blocks. Its looking really awesome. I have been snapping pics on my moms camera all day. I have a lot of sewing pics coming up.

The first quilt I ever made was something I made up. Its a simple block quilt using several purple patterns. I have the quilt top done. I need to figure out how to do the rest. I am planning on taking it to Bolts in the Bathtub and asking them what to do next. I have the batting for it, but I still need the backing fabric and I need to figure out what I want to put on the edge. I was tossing around the idea of a simple solid purple bias binding. I was also thinking of using a bias binding that matched the fabric I used on the back. Or maybe I will have the sewn edge and no binding. I don't know...

Yesterday was my daughters first time Trick or Treating. We had a great time. I was exhausted though. After standing at a register for 8 hours I raced home 30 min late popped two Extra Strength Pain Relievers and a large cup of steaming Mango Black Tea (fully caffeinated) and raced back out the door. Cowboy, the big child he is, also went trick or treating. Yes he dressed up and collected candy with all the other kids, with a 4 day beard growing. I really tried to ignore it but for some reason it bothered me. I haven't figured out why... perhaps I feel like he needs to grow up in many respects. That probably has a lot to do with it. We had fun yesterday though.

Stay tuned for pics soon!

I am also working on a blog carnaval. I think they are a great way to share great sites with others. I have also become addicted to many awesome blogs and I want to share them with others.