I'm a slacker... a very busy slacker

So sorry for the lull in posting... This week has been CRAZY BUSY and really won't slow down for... a while. Holy goodness. Thinking about everything I have to do is so incredibly overwhelming, but I'm pulling through it. I've been working on a few things here and there (when I should be sleeping! I'm functional on three hours a night now! Should I be happy about this, or upset about this? We'll see) and I'll post them soon. I promise.

My First Quilt!

Well, I'm not even sure this actually qualifies for a quilt, but I love it! I love all the white space, I love the Nicey Jane fabric, I love the lap size... perfect for sitting out on the swing in the evening. I used a bunch of Nicey Jane charm squares and white Kona cotton. Super simple... I think that's why I love it so much... or maybe it's all the pink. :)

Pretty Patchwork Pincushions

Remember this post?



Well, I finally got around to putting that tutorial together... so here goes!


DISCLAIMER: I do things my way, not necessarily the best or the right way... but it works. Hopefully this will give you an idea on how it's done, and you can find your own best way to make them!

First, you will need:
6 charm squares or fabric scraps
4 buttons
matching embroidery thread
embroidery needle
compass or bowl
paper
scissors
sewing machine
rotary cutter

Start by picking out your charm squares or fabric scraps (make sure they coordinate). I love the Heather Bailey Nicey Jane collection, so I used some charm squares from a charm pack I had... can't wait to share what I'm doing with the rest of them! Arrange the prints in the order you want them... I tried to make sure I didn't have my florals together.



Set those aside. Take your compass and set it to whatever radius you want your circle to have. A 2-3 inch radius works best (4-6 inch diameter). If you do not have a compass, just trace a bowl! Cut out your circle.



Fold your circle in half, then fold the half circle into thirds. Tape it together. This is your template!



Start with your first piece of fabric. Fold it in half and place the middle of the arc of the template on the fold of your fabric.



Cut around the template, following the lines out to the fold of the fabric. DO NOT cut around the arc! Hint: Make sure you do not slice any of the template off... you don't want your pieces getting smaller as you go!





Once you have gotten all of your pieces cut, pin the first two pieces with the right sides together, and run them through your machine. I used a 1/4 inch seam allowance, but it really doesn't matter as long as you are consistent.



Now, take the template and put the point facing the unsewn point of the diamond, centering the arc over the sewn point of the diamond. Trace the arc so that the ends of the arc are on the seam. Sew over the arc you have traced.





Continue adding your pieces on this way until you have all of your pieces sewn together. On the joining seam, leave 1 inch at the bottom unsewn for turning and stuffing. Turn... and stuff! Make sure you stuff it full enough so that the pins won't slip out if your pincushion gets turned upside down.







Once you have gotten it stuffed, stitch up the opening. Thread your embroidery needle and stitch through the middle, covering each seam. Sew your buttons onto the middle. These are so great, because they are super cute, and hide all those stitches and knots from the embroidery thread... and adding them to the top AND bottom means you can use either side!





Voila! You're finished, and you have a cute new pincushion to use for yourself or give to a friend!

Old Dress? New Skirt!

I LOVE the fuller above the knee skirts that are so in right now! I can't get enough! I recently cleaned out my closet (again!) and remembered this dress.



I immediately saw a cute, pleated skirt... in my head. I think the only thing I liked about this dress was the color, fabric, and the pleats. I only bought it because I was literally an hour away from an event and it was the only thing I remotely liked. It's always been too big, but sometimes when I'm crunched for time, I don't think clearly.

So, old dress I've only worn once... goodbye! Hello, new cute skirt that I LOVE!





It was easy, but a little more detailed than I originally thought. I ended up having to detach and reattach the top. But from there I just had to move the zipper in the back down, and shorten the hem... a lot! I love the way it turned out... and I love living on a working "farm"... so many fun, outdoorsy backgrounds available for unique pictures!

My Favorite Boots

So, anyone that knows me knows that I am obsessed with shoes. Really, it's a bit ridiculous, but I just can't help myself. I'm totally loving these boots right now... they are the perfect addition to any outfit. The thing about boots is where they hit your leg... I hate boots that end in an awkward place. These go right up to the bottom of my knees, so they make my legs look longer... and really, what girl doesn't want that?!







"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world."
-Marilyn Monroe

What Happiness is Made of...

Happiness is...

Uggs


Holding hands


Swinging with the little girls


Pretty floral flats


Obnoxiously pink nail polish


and being a South Carolinian


Happy Friday!

Posting: limited

Posting is going to be limited over the next few days... I'm working on something that I'm really excited about! I'll make sure to share when I'm finished!

HAPPY HUMP DAY!

It's a WONDERFUL Life

First off, I know I've been slack on the posting over the weekend. I have several projects I've been meaning to post, but time escapes me. I WILL get to those this week. Hopefully. :)

Secondly, this is a disgustingly happy post. Read at your own risk.

Today has been so perfect, my joy is boundless. There were a few rough spots this weekend, but things are looking up, and all I can do is feel so incredibly thankful for the life that I live and the amazing people in it.

The weather here is beautiful. Seventy degrees, I believe. Perfect weather for swinging all afternoon with the little loves of my life. I really, really love South Carolina.

Granny is home from the hospital and although she's still sick, she's feeling a little better. As almost every cancer family can tell you, it's a love/hate relationship with chemo. It kills the cancer, but its effects on the body can be equally devastating. I hate cancer, but I'm praying everyday for a cure, and all I can be right now is grateful for people who dedicate their lives to fighting this killer.

I love, love, love playing the farmer's daughter. I love being outside and helping/learning/carrying on. There's definitely something to be said for a peaceful life... and the smell of hay.

It's a new project day! I LOVE new project days. I love looking at something and seeing things in my head and then making it happen.

Here's the kicker... more of the same tomorrow! Although I have troubles, I've been positive today, and I think that's made all the difference. What the world could be, if only we always magnified our blessings the way we do our trials. Life goal: be better at this!

Pretty Little Headbands

I don't like to wear headbands much myself (I always get an awful headband headache), but I love love love to see them on cute little girls. Here are a pair I did recently for two pretty princesses.









Just a blank headband I bought in a pack at Wilson's wrapped in fabric from Hobby Lobby topped with a ruffled chiffon flower. Extremely easy to do, and it looks so cute on a pretty princess' head!

What Happiness is Made of...

Happiness is:

Making it through a CRAZY week to Friday


A third cup of coffee


Pretty pink polka dot bows


New "ink" and gigantic statement rings


Seeing the sun


The tall swing on the end


A completed to-do list


Boots over jeans


and Realizing the space poster in my classroom can double as a full length mirror.


Happy Friday!

Patchwork Pincushions

I'm going to go ahead and admit something... I've never had a pincushion, until now. I've never found one that was cute enough to buy, and I always intended to make one... I just never got around to it. That was until I saw all these cute patchwork pincushions, and I wanted to make one. Trouble is, I didn't know how, and I didn't want to buy a book simply for a pincushion pattern... so, I figured it out on my own. It took all of 30 minutes to figure it out, cut it out, and sew it up... so easy! Plus, the end result is super cute!





They are even reversible... well, you can use both sides! Now, if only I could get myself in the habit of using them!

I plan on making another one in the next few days as a gift for my granny (yes, I do call my grandmother granny) and I'll post a how to here.

Dressed to a Tee

I've seen all these super cute tee refashions on the blogosphere, so I decided to try it myself. I have a ton of plain tees, so I started with a plain grey one from Target (these are my FAVORITE tees... the cut is perfect, and they are super comfortable) that I wouldn't miss if I messed up. My end result turned out way better than I expected... I will be trying this again!



I started with a 5in by 25in piece of ivory chiffon, ruffled. I twirled and gathered and played with it until I had a flower, which I stitched together with three pearls in the middle. I then hand-stitched this to the shirt. It looked a little plain, and I was trying to figure out what to do to it, when I dropped the string of pearls I was holding and it landed on the shirt pretty much the way you see in the picture. It looked pretty, so I decided to go for it! I just left the pearls on the strand they were on, threaded the ends into a needle, put them to the back and tied them off. Then I took an ivory thread and stitched in between each and every pearl. It took a long time, but the end result was pretty and totally worth it.

P.S. It's snowing in SC again... perfect weather for taking pictures!

...and a great excuse to donn my favorite white coat


I think the chiffon flower is my favorite part!


Definitely makes a little grey tee more interesting



I apologize for the pictures... that's what happens when you have your 15 year old brother take them for you :)