yep. another pencil case.

This is yet another "Picasso Pencil Case" from the book The New Handmade. The pattern calls for a 9" zipper and I didn't have one on hand so I shortened the pattern to accommodate a 7"zipper and it worked splendidly. I also used a quilted panel instead of using interfacing which has a sturdy structure without the crunch interfacing can sometimes give a project. I like how bright this one turned out.

If you read my last post you know that my 2 year old niece was bitten in the face by the family dog. I just wanted to update you that she is recovering quite well. Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot. Dog bites can be especially scary and this was no exception. The ER doctor did a great job with the stitches and she will hopefully get them out on Friday or Saturday. Yea! As for the dog, my family is coming to the realization that he is not safe to have around small children (No kidding, right?). The dog's well being is certainly on the forefront of the family decision making these days. We don't want this to happen again and being proactive is our best solution.

As for the weather today, it is cloudy and raining. I have kept myself busy working on a not so little something for my nephew's birthday on Friday. I just started yesterday, so I hope to have it finished in time for the celebration. In which case, I will share photos(weather permitting) of this mysterious project.
'til then,
happy sewing!

a warning.

Yesterday was full of excitement. My brother came home from Maine for his summer visit, we had a family barbecue, and a pretty bad dog bite. Our family sweetheart, Kit pictured above, wanted so badly to give the family dog a biscuit when he returned home from his walk. Apparently, my sister had just run in the house and my dad didn't know that Kit was outside when he came back into the yard returning from the walk. Kit armed with a biscuit tried to give it to the dog and when he took it in his mouth, then dropped it (as he always does), Kit picked it up again and attempted to feed it to him. The large Husky-Chow mix snapped at her face and got her really badly. She was rushed to the emergency room and came home with multiple stitches above and below her lips.

It truly breaks my heart that this little sweetheart had to go through this. Nobody wants to see a little one in pain or possibly permanently scarred. She couldn't eat last night because of the pain and swelling, but she wanted to, which was even more frustrating. I am riddled with frustration and guilt for having not been there when all of this happened. I can only imagine how my sister and dad feel about the incident.

Please let this be a warning to all of you with dogs and children. This could have been prevented by not letting a small child at eye level feed the dog. Children are often the victims of dog bites and apparently, more often than not, the family dog is the biter. I did a little research when I came home last night and found a website, Dogsbite.org which has statistics and information on dangerous breeds of animals and other interesting dog bite stories and prevention tips.

Be safe.

weekend sewing.

I made this sweet little dress from Heather Ross' book Weekend Sewing. I made it with the intention of giving it to my two and a half year old niece. I used seersucker fabric that I just adore! I bought it a couple of years ago thinking that I would make myself a skirt out of it and it just sat there, so i thought this was a perfect project to see it used in garment making. I know that grey and yellow aren't exactly bright, fun 2 year old colors but my niece's favorite color is "lellow." I had a little difficulty taking full frontal photos of this dress so the top picture is a little fuzzy, go figure!

I love this pattern! It is super easy and the elastic thread provides instant gratification. I had taped Heather's appearance on the Martha Stewart Show and watched it in my studio while I was working away on this little cutie, very enjoyable indeed! This is the perfect summer play dress for all the shorties you know, I am definitely going to make another.....

Happy Sewing!

pencil pouch.

I found a sweet little project for my Japanese fabric. (I'm not going to hoard it all!) It is the "Picasso Pencil Case" from Cassie Barden's book The New Handmade. It's a simple pattern with easy construction, and is helping to get me past my fear of zippers. I tend to have trouble with zippers, I either sew way too far away from the zipper that it looks funny or I sew too close and then I can't get a straight line. Practice, I suppose.
Have a wonderful Monday!

sunday stash.

A little Japanese fabric love here to start this fine Sunday morning. I have been reading the 1/4 of an inch blog for a while and thought it was high time to participate in the Sunday Stash show and tell. I have a lot of fabric in my stash and I'm gonna share....

I don't have any particular plans for the Japanesse fabric, maybe blocks in a quilt, maybe various small projects, maybe I am too smitten with this fabric and will stare at it longingly, pet it, drape it, take pictures of it, and never cut into it. Just kidding. I will patiently wait for the right project to present itself. Until then, happy sewing!

summer handbag.

Yesterday I was doing a little re-organizing and trying to get rid of some things that I haven't used in a while. Typically, for me this means shuffling through boxes, getting distracted by photos and keepsakes, then piling most everything back into the same box. There is no exception to this rule; I came across a bag of vintage curtains that I have had for some time and I threw a curtain in the wash and started this purse. Needless to say, the closet looks the same and I have acquired a cute lil' bag.

I made a little stamp tag with "cb" for craftyblossom on it. My friends are always asking me why I don't put little tags on my items and I guess I just think craftyblossom is too much of a mouthful. What do you think? Oh, i sewed some more pockets inside with the floral fabric but the photos didn't turn out... my luck.

On a different note, I received an email from a woman named Connie who is putting together a directory of quilting (maybe sewing too?) blogs. I only had a second to check it out, but it looks like she has quite the list going. She is going to add my name to the list, you should too! Get a gander here. I hope to be back here again soon!

green bib.

I made this little burp cloth/bib set as a gift for a baby's-already-here-welcome-to-the-world-party! It seems so fresh and clean to me, with all the bright greens. It is made of linen and cotton/linen blend fabrics and the back of the cloth is a thick flannel so that it stays on your shoulder whilst burping the babe. I had them all folded neatly and wrapped in twine, when I realized I didn't take a photo to share with you so that's why there are creases in the finished product! I'm sure you can get past that..... I'll be back soon....
~happy summer!

a stroller quilt.

Just to prove that I am still making things, I thought I would stop in and show ya my latest... I love this quilt. It measures about 32x36,and is jam packed with bright and bold colors. It seems most the quilts that I make have very little rhyme or reason. I like it that way! This has been in my mind for a while, but I wanted to make a smaller baby quilt than the 45x60 standard crib quilt. It is the perfect size for tucking around a little one in a stroller or over the lap at story time. I am happy with the way that it turned out...

A cheerful backing....

an inspiring shot...this angle makes me want to make an orange, brown and green quilt!

I've got lots more to share so I will see y'all soon.

~happy sewing!

girly messenger.

I made this little bag for a bride-to-be to take on her destination wedding. I love how it turned out. It is roomy, sturdy, and light-weight. Even though I am not the girliest of girls, I have always loved the combination of pink and grey. I have had this floral fabric for a while and never knew quite what to do with it. When this project popped up, It was actually the first fabric I grabbed out of the stash.

The underside of the flap shown here, I also made a double pocket inside out of the same fabric. I love the little patch! I hope you all enjoy the last few hours of the weekend.....
~Happy Sewing!

giveaway winner.

Congratulations Artsy Momma! Although I got a few comments that I really liked, I want to gift this little bundle of fabric to the artsy momma, who sounds like she could use a little push to get behind the machine again!

Thanks to those of you who commented I appreciate each and every one. Keep checking in, I am already thinking about my next giveaway.

If you haven't heard, Amy at Park City girl is having a bloggers quilt festival. It is certainly worth the visit! Myself and many, many others are participating.

a gift-away.

This is my 100th post! In honor of it, I am giving away this little set of four quarter -yards of deliciousness. I feel like giving back (albeit small) to the blogging community that has given me so much. At the risk of sounding corny, the blogging community has fed my inspiration, and offered much encouragement during this process of crafty blogging. Thank you!



If you want this cute little bundle of fabric, leave a comment and in my endless search for inspiration, tell me what you would do with it. Please be sure that I can contact you via blog or email. I will announce a winner Tuesdayish. Thanks for stopping in!

Happy Easter!

Well, Hello Strangers! I made this quilted pillow a couple of weeks and have been trying to post it since. Unfortunately, I have been experiencing problems with my computer. Thus, my absense. I was afraid to log into any of my email or blog accounts in fear that I (my computer) had a virus. I have been very busy making things, enjoying the sunshine and gearing up for a little giveaway! (happening very soon...)

Today I will be enjoying some time with my family, hopefully without incident. :) I will soon be back to blogging as usual and checking in on all of you too! For those of you who celebrate, have a wonderful Easter!

urban messenger.

No, I did not get my machine back from the shop. My friend let me borrow her sewing machine so I didn't go completely crazy. Although, I I may be going slightly crazy over this cutie over this cutie of a messenger bag that I cranked out. I love this Echino fabric! I did not use a pattern, I totally winged this one. There are a couple of things that I will do differently when I make another, overall, I am thrilled with this one!

Linen lined!

Homemade patch!

Matches my house!

In other news, I am coming up on my 100th post! (this is no. 98) I am thinking something along the lines of a GIVEAWAY! I am not yet sure of what.....but it should be good! stay tuned...


~Happy Sewing!

Springing.

The air is still chilly here, but the sun is shining! If you know anything about Michigan, you know that we have long, dreary, sunless winters. The people 'round these parts come alive when the sun shines bright... the same hold true for me!


I am stepping into spring with these fun prints I got from this etsy shop. They have an amazing inventory, fair shipping prices and great deals on fabric! This could be trouble.

In other springy news, my bulb is shooting up again. I forget what kind it is, my sister gave it to me for my birthday in November. It bloomed days after I got it, died, or so i thought. There are two new shoots coming up. Yea!

I am still waiting for my sewing machine to come back from the repair man. I feel like a fish out of water without it! So sad, I even have new fabric to play with.

For the rest of you with machines....

~happy sewing!

making messes :: making things

Recently, a friend told me that they didn't think that I liked making things, instead I just like making messes. Untrue. In the process of making things, just so happens I make messes, BIG messes. My sewing room has spilled out into the dining room to make the best of the sunlight, and the projects in my dining room make their way to the living room for hand finishing. Next, they will be out in the front yard!

To my credit, don't most creative people have messy tendencies?

All kidding aside, I have been busy making things, although my sewing machine is in dire need of a good servicing. I don't dare do anymore top-stitching until the timing on my machine is corrected. 'til then......

...Happy sewing!