Poncho Snuggie? Woobie Poncho? un-Snuggie?

We're trying to come up with a name for my newest creation: my version of the "Snuggie".

With the Holiday Weekend sale at JOANN and a 20% off coupon I got this fleece for only $2.00 a yard! Each "snuggie" only took me 20 minutes to make, with minimal sewing, and I suppose you could leave all the edges unfinished if you wanted to, since fleece is easy like that.

Granddaughter is exactly 1 yard tall from the shoulder to the floor and Grandson only 1 inch shorter so these were super easy. Also, they were 1 yard from wrist to wrist, so each snuggie is 2 yards long by 1 yard wide (minus 2 inches for Grandson).I have a nice piece leftover (2 yds x 21 inches) for a couple of scarves or some doll blankets, or a fleece beannie.

I cut a 5 inch wide hole for the neck, cutting an opening a few inches down the front. I folded under the edge and zig-zagged all around. I made a fastener with a doubled piece of ribbon and a piece of velcro.

Starting at the bottom, I sewed up the sides, leaving plenty of opening for a roomy armhole. I also folded under the edge of the armhole and zigzagged around it.

I left the hem unfinished ......VOILA!! 20 minutes and $4.00 for a yet-to-be-named cuddly garment that has been worn all day so far! First this morning, like a robe, over p.j.'s and then all the rest of the day over their clothes since it's a chilly, rainy day here FINALLY in So. Cal!

Name suggestions? Anyone? ........

guest blogger, beginning sewer

Today's post will be written by a guest blogger: Granddaughter #4, age 6 (with some help from Mimi, of course)

Hi, my name is Grace. I have been waiting a long time to be six because Mimi told me she would teach me to sew when I turned six years old. All my bigger cousins already learned and I really wanted to learn, too. Last week was my birthday and I got my ears pierced and I didn't even cry, but my eyes got real watery.

And I got to help decorate my own cat cake that Mimi made for me.

I reminded Mimi that I'm six now so when can I start sewing? Today just Mimi and I were home by ourselves so today was our sewing day. First I learned all the important parts of the sewing machine. I was really nervous because Mimi told us a story before about my Gram when she was 4 yrs. old. Little Carmelita didn't listen to her Mother and put her fingers in the sewing machine while it was sewing and it sewed through her fingernails. I really like to hear that story but then it made me nervous when I had to work the sewing machine by myself. But Mimi promised that if I just mind all the rules, I wouldn't hurt myself.

First I practiced really slow on some paper with lines on it. It was really fun! After the first line I didn't even want Mimi to help me anymore!

I did 2 pages and then Mimi said it was time to try it on fabric and I got a little nervous again. I was afraid I might make a mistake. I have a new baby cousin that's getting born next month. I am making a blanket for her. Cousins are kind of confusing, but I think I get it now. Even though the new baby will be my cousin, Mimi won't be her Grandma because the baby is from my Mom's family instead of my Dad's, so my Nana will be her Grandma instead of Mimi. I have lots of cousins and Grandmas and stuff but mostly I get the point.

Sewing the fabric was really easy! I told Mimi she could go in the other room and I would call her when I got to the corners. She said I was doing really great!

Then I had to iron it and that iron really scared me! Mimi told me the same thing, that if I just minded the rules I wouldn't hurt myself and she stayed right next to me just in case. I was very careful because I could tell it was really hot and it made some noise that I didn't like but I did really good with the iron, too!

Then I had to sew all around the edge of the blanket with pretty blue thread. I wanted to use some fancy stitches that look like little flowers. That took a really long time and actually it was kind of boring.

Mimi said next time we'll just use straight stitch since it's faster and it's more fun for me anyways. It sure did look nice when it was finished, though!

SEE!!! Look what I made! It's all finished!

I hope Baby Hayden will like her new cupcake blanket! I'm going to give it to her when I get to go see her after she's born.

I LOVE SEWING! I'm really a sewing girl now, just like my cousins and Mimi and Shan!!

I love that sewing machine so much I wanted to use it some more, so Mimi cut me some scraps and while she was making dinner she let me use it all by myself while she was in the other room. I only had to ask her 2 questions!

Look what I made by myself! Some scarves for my dolls!

You know why else I love that sewing machine so much? Look what it's called.....

GRACE!! Just like me!

Next time Mimi goes to the fabric store I'm going to go,too, so I can make blankets for all my dolls, because I'm a sewing girl now!

it's too late now......

What do you do when you completely change the decor of a room, and then when it's finished, you think it might have been a mistake?

A year ago, in April '08, I blogged about the simple makeover I did to the living space that's mine in the home I share with Son & Family (see here). I'm really not very good with change at all. I don't usually even like re-arranging furniture! But two things have happened since then to make me decide to change things up once again.....

1.) I was given a newer sofa, a brown sofa, that didn't match the rest of my decor and I have been unable to find anywhere, online or anywhere else, the right color and style slipcover!

2.) I travelled to Martha's Vineyard (see here) and fell in love with the East Coast/Cape Cod/ Hamptons/beachy-style look, with lots of white and aqua, sea grass and stones and driftwood.

I was working with a very limited budget so I mostly re-purposed, re-covered, and re-painted what I already had....This is how I transformed jewel-toned watercolors and black wrought iron bed frame and room accents into my version of the Martha's Vineyard beach cottage look:

Colors: Aqua, brown, white

decor: beach stones, bamboo, sea grass, shells, etc.

Walls were already the right color, "Spaqua", from the last makeover

I spent a lot of time looking for exactly the right king-size flat sheets so I could sew a duvet for my existing comforter. I was so excited to find EXACTLY what I was looking for: these are Martha Stewart sheets, regular $70.00 each!.....and I got them on clearance for...(drumroll, please)....$11.99!!! ...SCORE!! talk about a bargain!

I whipped up the duvet and covered all my existing pillows with new fabrics:

before

after

Bed frame and lamp were painted white

before

after

All the frames on my picture wall went from black to white

(not really sure I like this as much....the black seemed to show off the photos better. Ideally I'd like to have all the frames be light wood, sort of drift-woodish....maybe when I win the lottery?)


before

after

Took down the white lace curtains and white blinds; sewed new white gauze curtains and put up bamboo roll-up blinds. (The lighting in my room is difficult to work with this time of year. Everything, especially the colors, look much better than these photos would suggest)

before

after

Accent pillows for the sofa and "seagrass" on the nightstand

It feels very cool and calm and peaceful in here. It's exactly the look I was going for, but I sort of miss all my watercolors....I'm sure I'll adjust to it....but what if I don't? What do I do then? Has anyone out there ever experienced anything like this? Decorators remorse? If I had unlimited funds it would be no problem, of course, but now what?

new family heirloom

At the beginning of May, my sister in Seattle and her two young daughters decided to try making a quilt for the first time. They wrote about it on their blog here.

When Daughter read what her Aunt and Cousins had made, she decided she had to try making a quilt, too. In less than a week she had whipped up this masterpiece! Then a few days later she made this one!

The last few years she has been very supportive and appreciative of all the sewing projects I've made but none of it inspired her to dig out her long-buried sewing machine.....UNTIL NOW!!....THAT GIRL IS ON FIRE!! Boy has she been bitten by the sewing bug big time! By the end of May, only 4 weeks after her first one, she had completed 2 quilts (except for the free-motion quilting, due to being unable to find the right foot for her ancient machine...more on that later), cut out all the pieces for 3 more, and unbeknownst to me....MADE THIS FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Now keep in mind, this was completed only 5 weeks after she decided to "try" making her first quilt!

The theme of this quilt is "Martha's Vineyard", commemorating the trip we took together in April to visit Son/Brother. She used photos from our trip

She found fabric with shells & stones just like the ones we collected on our travels.

She found some with the shellfish that are so plentiful on Cape Cod

And even found this toile, which has actual scenes and places from Martha's Vineyard itself

The back of the quilt is special, too.

This beautiful work of art is now hanging on my bedroom wall where I can look at it every day and be reminded of our wonderful trip together and of what a lovely Daughter I have!

Isn't this going to be the best family heirloom ever?

SSEN Valentine Apron Swap (sent)

For the SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE SASSY FLIRTY APRON SWAP, the theme was Valentines Day.

Rules were simple: send a marvelous Valentine apron, Valentine goodies, and a note revealing your identity. "Just make it a package you would love to receive!"

my partner was KELLY K. from Lagrangeville, NY. (Hi Kelly!)

Here is what my package to Kelly included:

The one apron I made 2 weekends ago during my 6-apron-frenzy-of-a-weekend that wasn't for the ETSY shop.........

a half-apron made from a Valentine tea towel that I found at Wal-mart. The ties are wide grosgrain ribbon and I added a pocket made from scraps leftover from one of the other aprons.

Also one of my favorite furry fleece scarves that went over so well with my family at Christmas. And Kelly tells me this is even her favorite color, how about that!

And last but not least,a yard of cute Valentine fabric and some Valentine ribbon for a project of her own AND an embellished spiral notebook, one of my own personal favorite things.



Oh, yes, and of course a bunch of avocados. I always enjoy sending these to non-Californians. They are always so appreciative!

I've already heard from Kelly and she really loves her whole package.

It's so satisfying to feel like you've made someone happy, especially a secret partner that you don't know. I've really enjoyed this swap... Thank You so much Lucy and Shawnee for doing a great job and putting in so much time and effort to make this such a wonderful swap......

I'm going out to the mailbox right now to see if Mr. Mailman has brought me my package yet! So much fun to get a secret package! Although I can honestly say I think I enjoy the sending even better than the receiving!

chipping away at the "stash"

I guess I should inventory my extensive fabric stash more often.

Last weekend I completed 6 Valentine-themed aprons using only fabric I discovered I already owned.

Sorting through my 1 yard cuts (I always buy 1 yard of everything) I found several chicken fabrics...I didn't even know I liked chickens, but apparently I do! All of these came from my stash except the yellow....I bought that yesterday to complete the set.

Goal for this weekend: 4 chicken aprons for the ETSY shop and 2 other small projects to tuck into a box of Avocados for my sister in Seattle.

The house is quiet (the family is away), I borrowed a "MAMMA MIA" DVD from oldest granddaughter after reading this on Kathi D.'s blog, and I'm settling down right now for an afternoon of sewing aprons and watching a happy movie....

LIFE IS GOOD!

The Sweet Hearts Collection

Mission accomplished!!

I got all six aprons finished by 11:00p.m. Sunday night....

Five for the ETSY shop (I'll be posting them on Wednesday)

and one for my partner in the Sugar & Spice Apron Swap. As soon as I finish a couple of other little projects to complete her package, I'll be mailing this one off to New York, along with some avocados.

Some of these have my new adjustable criss-cross straps that I "borrowed" from Lucy over at My Byrd House....Thanks for the idea Lucy!! This apron style is sooo comfortable....no neck strap, which can be bothersome. It also makes the apron more flattering to a fuller figure (trust me, I know...)

It sure feels great completing a goal you set for yourself, even something as small as completing 6 aprons in a weekend.


Starting with the small goals and working up to the bigger ones......that works for me!!