I made this to go with my mom’s pleated purse.  I based it off of Martha Stewart’s “pattern,” but used regular fabric instead of felt.  In doing so, I had to attach some fusible interfacing (one of the best inventions ever) to the fabric.  I also had to modify the pattern to fit the measurements of the little hem I made on each side where the tissues come out.  Also, I sewed the short ends together wrong-sides-together, that way I flipped the holder inside out to have hidden seams rather than the seams sticking out and using pinking shears for the edges.  (Yes, Martha, that’s fine for felt…but would have looked awful with the fabric.)  I just realized how confusing that must be to read.  But that just goes to show that I have no idea how to put into words what I do with sewing.  In other words: don’t expect tutorials from me anytime soon.

Since I take my pictures close up with no other objects to create scale, this tissue holder might look gigantic.  But really, it’s a travel-size pack of Kleenex.  This little booger (hehe! a pun!) was fun and fast to put together.  It doesn’t take much fabric to make one, so it’s a good use for scraps of fabric that might be vegging out somewhere.

My mom received a homemade Mother’s Day gift this year.  The sewing machine my parents gave me for this past Christmas seems to be a gift that keeps giving!  To make this purse, I used the same pattern that I used to make one for my fiancé a couple of weeks ago.  For you sewers out there, it’s a great, easy (and free) pattern.  I am a beginner sewer, and I did just fine.  (Well, after threatening the lives of pleats far and wide the first time I made one.)

The purse came together a lot faster this time, but it still took forever to cut out the fabric.  I definitely need more patience in the fabric-cutting department.  Even though I made the patten before, this was the first time I used magnetic snaps.  They were incredibly easy to attach, and I like the way the close/open.  Please don’t look too closely at the stitching around the magnetic snaps.  I meant to switch out the brown thread for the tan so it wouldn’t show up, but I forgot.  It looks a little bad there, but it’s not like anyone really sees it.  (Except for now, when I’m putting it on full display for you.)  But, hey…have you ever tried to sew a circle on a sewing machine?  I need practice.

If you were wondering, my mom really liked the purse.  She knew that she was getting it, because she picked out the fabric.  But it was nice to be able to give a gift that I knew she would like and appreciate.

Well, I’m back after a much-needed and necessary hiatus. Over the weekend, Sarah and I had fun with Aranzi Aronzo’s The Cute Book. After stocking up on felt and embroidery floss, we crafted away. The first one I made (which has also been the only one I’ve made so far…) is Terry the Terrier.

Maybe I’ll get around to making some more soon. I just need to perfect my Triple French Knots. Argh!

In a recent craft attempt, I decided to try crocheting embroidery floss around memory wire to make a bracelet. The result didn’t turn out too badly, even though it looks something equivalent to a hair scrunchie. Not necessarily the look I was going for, but I now have some guidance for what to do next time. I’m also wanting to try crocheting wire to make beaded jewelery. I’m just a little scared, though, because crocheting with wire looks a little tricky.

Let’s hope my next jewelry making attempts look a little less juvenile. (Not that that’s always a bad thing.)

Yesterday, I went to the eye doctor, and I decided to try contact lenses again. I had tried them a couple years ago, but one of my eyes didn’t take too well to the type of lens. Apparently, they don’t make that kind anymore, and the new astigmatism contacts work a lot better for most people. So I’m trying them out. So far, they’re working pretty well.

I realized there would be a dilemma when I return to school on Sunday: my roommate has the same contact lens case. They had given me the standard white and aqua/seafoam/teal capped lens case. It’s the same kind that he has, and I’d hate for us to get our contacts mixed up in the bathroom. I went to Wal*Mart to see if they had any different cases, but they were all expensive and/or ugly. So, I decided to change up the one they gave me. This is the result:

I much prefer the green to the original seafoam aqua. And now, I won’t get my contacts mixed up with my roommates’. In case you’d like to pull this stunt off as well, all I did was mix equal parts decoupage medium and acrylic paint. That way, it gave it a nice plasticy finish, and it bonded pretty well with the plastic. I just put on one thick coat. I realize it won’t last forever, but it’s okay. You’re supposed to switch out cases every 3 months, anyway!

To clarify, I’m not Catholic. The only reason I feel the need to clarify is so that I may present a weird part of myself. You see, about a year ago, I became slightly obsessed with the idea of praying the Rosary. In my own Christian beliefs, I find the meditative qualities of traditions to be highly spiritual. I became envious that Catholics got to do a meditative prayer using pretty beads. The solution? I made myself a Rosary and learned the “Hail Mary”. Hey, I’ve had to sing so many versions of “Ave Maria” that there could be no harm in learning the prayer in English. I’m such a rebellious Protestant.

Here’s the fruit of my obsession (now nearly a year old), using my favorite color scheme:

There. It’s out in the open.

Since I’m just beginning my blog, I decided it would be appropriate to go ahead and post some back-logged things, so to speak. In other words, I’ll post things I’ve done in the past before I began blogging. This little guy was a gift to my girlfriend last year while we were apart over spring break. I had no idea what I was making when I made him, but I thought it’d be fun to give her a little homemade stuffed animal. He’s made of felt, polyester filling, google eyes, and an extra button from one of my dress shirts. I think she was a little taken aback when I gave him to her–I mean, it’s a stuffed peanut. He’s grown into quite the character, and his nubbish felt shows that he’s been loved.

I recently decided to enter him into our college’s literary and arts yearly journal on a whim. I doubt he’s what they are looking for, but I thought, what the heck. Might as well try. This is him, as a result of his little (low quality) photo shoot.

So there we have it, folks: my limited sewing skills and a crazy imagination mixed with some love.