It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

At least on my computer.

I am happy to release a new pattern! Need new stockings this Christmas? I've got you've covered.  

 

The reindeer stocking is up and in the shop. The stocking is quite easy to make and is a wonderful beginning level sewing project. I made a set for my family last year and we absolutely love them. I adore the cuffs on these stockings, very festive. I plan on having more stocking patterns available in the coming weeks including: Santa, Elf, and Snowman...maybe a few more. We shall see.

Oh, even though this post is all Christmas... Happy Halloween! Have fun wearing costumes and eating candy!

Happy Weekend!

Meet Ruby

Yes, Ruby is a doll, a very darling doll don't you think? Ruby is made with Bliss fabric by Bonnie and Camille from Moda and the Ruby Lou Pattern by Sew Much Ado. I absolutely loved making her. This was my first time sewing a doll/softie and I found the construction and directions very straight forward. This definitely will be a repeat project. I know a few little girls on my Christmas list who will be getting a Ruby of their own this Christmas. :) What I loved about this project is that it's the perfect scrap fabric project. I had some bits of fabric left over from making the quilt in the picture and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. (Full pictures of the quilt are coming.  See full quilt and tutorial here.)

This is a personal review of this pattern, I paid for my own pattern and am blogging about it because I loved it!

A Handmade Christmas

I know...it isn't even Halloween yet. However, I am a firm believer that as soon as the calendar turns November 1st, Christmas is here in about a second it seems.

So with that being said, it will soon be time to start planning for Christmas. So to help you out in your plans, Tasha over at Creation Corner is organizing a Handmade Christmas series November 1st - 14th.

There will be a different crater featured each day along with a tutorial for a handmade gift! I am excited because I will contributing on November 14th. So if you aren't following Creation Corner, be sure to sign up so you see all the great gift giving ideas.

Happy Tuesday!

LeAnne

Just one little peek...

So I've been working on a some projects lately, but they aren't done quite yet.

I absolutely love the 'almost' finished projects so much that I can't wait till they are ALL done to share. So here is a peek.

(the dolly legs are from the Ruby Lou doll from Sew Much Ado)

 Maybe that was too much of a peek? Either way, I love how my projects are turning out. K...off to finish. And make a Halloween costume. And a belated birthday gift. And start on Christmas projects.

Wowzers. Weekend here I come.

Ohh...click over here...a little giveaway to satisfy you over the weekend.

Happy Friday!
LeAnne

Give Thanks Countdown Cards

Thanksgiving is truly one of my favorite holidays. Who doesn't love getting together with family and friends to count our many blessings. (Plus the food isn't too shabby either.)

This year I updated the 'Give Thanks' Countdown Cards that I made to go along with my 'Give Thanks' Countdown Calendar.  I've been teaching myself Photoshop this year and had fun one day designing four different card styles. Then I added all the activities on the cards. I also made blank cards so people could add family member's names or even create their own activities. (The card file includes activities, directions, and the jpeg images that you print off as 4"x6" photos.)

This year's version is very versatile, you don't have to have the calendar to use the cards. You can use the cards on their own;

or you can make your own calendar and place the cards in the calendar pockets. 

Either way, the cards are a great tradition to use year after year as a family. 

The card files are up in the shop. You can also purchase the Countdown Calendar pattern AND the  Countdown Cards together at a discount.

Happy Thursday!

LeAnne

Boo Blocks

We all have seen our share of 'Boo' blocks or the like around blogland lately, right? Well I whipped up my version over the weekend and I have to say I love them.

'the middle 'o' looks purpish, it is really black and creamish'

To make my blocks I used digital papers from Summer Drigg's FREE digikits Dreamsicle and Vintage Oreos. With the power of Photoshop I added some text and a nice gray outer glow. Then it was simply a process of printing the images off as 4x6's @ .13 cents a pop, a little trimming and Modge Poding those babies to some scrap wood blocks I painted black. Talk about instant craftification....wow...did I just pen a new catch phrase? ;) Plus I had all the materials on hand which meant this project cost me a grand total of .39 cents....the dollar store can't beat that.

Anyways. It was a fun festive craft that I am sure to repeat for other holidays.

Happy Tuesday!

LeAnne

Tutorial: Halloween Matching Game & Winners!!!!

To see the winners of the trick or treat totes click here.

A couple years back I found some adorable Christmas fabric on clearance at a quilting shop and it was so cute that I couldn't pass it up. Of course I didn't know what I could use it for at the time but I bought it anyway. Fast forward to last Christmas and from that fabric I made this cute little matching game. I made a set for my family and a couple of sets for the shop and to give as gifts.

Then a couple of weeks ago I was at Joann's and I found a similar fabric that was Halloween themed. I snagged it and made a little Halloween matching game last night. This is really a quick project and can actually be a no-sew project if you need it to be.

Materials:
fabric that has a 'blocked' repeating print to it
fusible webbing choose either:
Heat n' Bond Lite - if you want to sew (purple package)  OR
Heat n' Bond Ultrahold - if you want a NO sew project (red package)
felt
iron & pressing cloth

Note: When you buy the fabric get enough so the print repeats itself so you have enough to have matching pairs.

1. Adhere the fusible webbing to the wrong side of your fabric. Cut out 'blocked' images using scissors or rotary cutter and ruler.

2. Cut enough squares or rectangles from felt for the entire set of matching cards. I cut mine about 1/2" larger than the size of the fabric images.

3. Remove paper backing from the fabric images and center on the felt squares or rectangles. Fuse in place following package directions. NOTE: Set your iron to WOOL when you adhere fusible webbing to felt or you will MELT your felt. Also place a pressing cloth between your project and the iron.

4. If you used the Heat n' Bond Ultrahold, you do not need to sew to reinforce. So you are done! I used Heat n' Bond Lite, so I just stitched around the inside edge of each fabric image.

5. Optional: Make a quick drawstring bag for storage!

There you go! Easy peasy!  Makes a quick project and a great gift. Don't want to make one? I have one set up in the shop looking for a home.

So now go, whip one up and play a fun festive matching game as a family!

Happy Friday!!!

Tutorial: Three Halloween Treats + Bonus! Winners ANNOUNCED

The two winners of the two trick or treat totes are:

#22

Kim Beatty said...What's not to love about October?! It's my favorite time of year - we're full-swing into fall, our anniversary is the 12th (8 years this year), Halloween...then it's on to Thanksgiving and Christmas! I am addicted to pumpkin - coffee, cheesecake, bars, cookies, whoopie pies - you name it, I'll scarf it down as long as it's got pumpkin in it! 

I love to decorate for the holidays, and Halloween is always a great time to kick that off!

and 

#4 

Melissa said...I have been thinking about making something like this all week and looked it up tonight and came upon this project, how adorable! I love Halloween for many reasons...dressing up, the start of 3 months of great eats and and it's part of fall, my favorite time of year!!!!

email me at everydaycelebrate {at} gmail {dot} com to claim your prizes!!!!

Thanks for all the fun comments! I had a great time reading all of them!

 

Can you believe that Halloween is just around the corner? Well to get in the 'spirit' I've cooked up a trio of projects for Moda Bake Shop! All these projects are pretty quick and great the beginning sewer. 

 

 

 

I hope you all enjoy the tutorials! Click on on over to Moda Bake Shop to get the full directions.

Ahh... the little bonus. I made quite a few trick or treat totes for this project. I can only use so many, so I thought, why not share! So I will be giving away two totes to two lucky readers. 

I am a simple gal.

If you want to win one, leave a fun comment.  

(One comment per person please.)

Easy peasy.

What is a fun comment? I dunno you decide!

(If your email is not linked to your blogger profile, please leave your email in the comments.) 

So I will start. 

My name is LeAnne. I love October for many reasons. 

a.) It actually starts to get 'cool' where I live.

b.) I get to wear sweaters and hoddies.

c.) October means that Christmas, the best time of the year, is just around the corner.

d.) Two words. PUMPKIN BARS You can thank me or not thank me later. ;)

Good luck!!!

I have another Halloween Tutorial coming this week so stay tuned!!!

get them while they're hot

So like most fabric fetish people, I have a load of scrap fabric from past projects. I am trying to reduce some of my fabric stash so what better to make than a few of the my Colors Quiet Book. You can purchase a completed my Colors Quiet Book in my shop.

While making the books I also made oodles and oodles of the my Colors Quiet Book lettering kit. So whether your fancy is to sew or not to sew...you should be covered. ;) (FYI: After a few requests, I made some of the Lettering Kits in Spanish!) The FREE tutorial can be found here.

I know there have been a lot of posts as of late about the Colors Quiet Book in particular, so my apologies for the lack of fresh ideas. However, make sure you check in on Monday. I promise there will be some fun items spooky new items and may be a tutorial or two...or three...or four. ;)