Ameroonie Designs

It's my Party- Project 2

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:03:00 +0000

I'll admit that this week has been insane. Birthday celebrations, graduations (preschool and kindergarten), cub scouts, lots of driving from here to there.

But, there's also been a lot of fun- seeing friends for the first time in years, lots of fabric buying and late night laughs with friends.

It means that I didn't get to today's project until, well, today. But, instead of giving up on it, I went ahead and pushed through. And, I'm so happy I did.

I had an idea of what I wanted this pillow to be, but I wasn't sure how I would get it to come together. Then, I went shopping at my local quilt shop and saw these fun polka dot fabrics and they were just what I was looking for.

I used wonder under to fuse the "ribbons" to the front fabric, then added a layer of batting and muslin and quilted around them. I love the extra bit of dimension the loft of batting creates.

I'm working on more pillows for our sofa, to add a punch of color to our family room, but for now, I think it looks perfect paired with this yellow shag pillow.

And now I have to just comment on Gwen's project. When I opened the picture I was floored. It's gorgeous, don't you think? I LOVE the quilting she used on it. I am always amazed at how rows of stitching can change the whole feel of a project and these straight lines on the angle are just what this quilt needs. To see more details, head over to her blog.

It's My Party- Project 1

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:17:00 +0000

As moms we often get put on the back burner. We put our dreams and ambitions on hold in order to place our focus and energy on raising our children. And while I firmly believe that raising children is the most important job we will ever do in our lifetimes, I think it's important that we don't lose our entire identity in the process.

When I first saw this Noteworthy fabric from Moda at my local quilt shop, I knew it would be perfect for a dream journal. I make covered notebooks as part of my inventory when I do boutiques so I bought enough fabric to make a few- and I got both color ways- blue and gray.

I fussy cut a strip so the Be Happy part would be centered, then I created this pleated strip to help those important words stand out. One of my main goals in life is to be Happy- no matter what circumstances I'm going through.

And while not every single thing on here is an actual goal of mine (I'm pretty sure I don't want a birthday party in Las Vegas ;) ) many of the things on here are things I want to do one day. And inside the book, I'm keeping lists of goals and dreams, scheming about how to achieve them and doodling just for fun.

Because, right now I'm in the middle of babies and kiddos- but one day they will grow up and I'll be ready to make some big moves. But if I keep up with my journal, hopefully my ambitions won't have even gotten dusty and I'll know just where I want to go and how to get there.

And don't forget to head over to Gwenny Penny to check out her gift to herself- this darling flat bottomed zipper pouch.

xoxo,

Amy

3rd Annual Birthday Bash

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:17:00 +0000

What's better than celebrating your Birthday? Celebrating it with one of your best friends!

This year we're mellowing out the party a bit (maybe because we're getting OLDER?) and we're going to post projects on Wednesday and Friday. These are- do it because you want to, just for you, anything you like- projects that we have wanted to do, but never took the time to get done. And maybe if you have something like that on your list, you'll pull it out and join us in some fun, just for yourself kind of creating.

And, since today is my actual birthday, I'm going to go enjoy a Diet Coke, pull out the sewing machine and have some fun before going on a date with my handsome hubby tonight.

I hope you all have a terrific Monday!

xoxo,
Amy

Scrunched Flower tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:06:00 +0000

Today I am going to share with you how I make these super fun, easy flowers.

Do you like my amazingly technical name?

Scrunched Flowers?

It's the best I could come up with. Feel free to share your opinions on the name of this flower.

Anywho.

You may remember seeing these flowers here on my most recent Business card portfolio.

Or you might recognize them from this machine cover I sewed last year.

They are a favorite of mine because they are simple and fast and flat, so they add some style, without adding bulk to your project.

Let's get started shall we? For the purposes of this tutorial, I will only show you how to make the flower, but I am doing so on a cover for a small notebook. For the flower you will need a base fabric to sew on and a square of fabric that is larger than the flower you want to make. How much bigger the square is will determine how full and "scrunched" the flower ends up. In my example, the square is only slightly bigger than the flower I will be making. If you want to add leaves, you will also need a scrap of fabric for those.

Start by drawing a circle that is just barely smaller than the flower you want to make. (I often get lazy and skip this, but it's much easier to end up with the shape you want if you do it. ;) ) If you are adding leaves, now is the best time to stitch those down. Make sure the end overlaps the circle so it is covered by the flower.

Bring the flower fabric over to the circle. Fold over the edge of one straight side just a bit. You can see in the picture how I do it. Take this folded edge and place it over the circle. Begin sewing, but just take a few stitches.

Continue around the circle, lifting up the presser foot and adjusting the fabric as you go around. When you get to the corners of the flower fabric, you will need to push it in to line it up with the circle, this is what gives the folding and pleating that creates the flower effect. Taking your time, lifting the presser foot often and making sure your folded edge is just wide enough to be caught and sewn down, but not so wide it eats up your flower fabric, will ensure the best results.

When you get to the beginning of your sewn circle, you will have a "pouf" of fabric in the center. It means you did it right. :) Take the fabric and "scrunch" it down, creating folds and tucks. Sew down with a loose swirl in the center of the flower.

Use your fingers the push the fabric around to make sure the folds get tacked down. When your swirl reaches the center, you're finished.

Trim your threads and enjoy your flower.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask- I will be happy to help.

xoxo,

Amy

Wrap card for mini coin purse- Guest Posting at Keeping it Simple

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:11:00 +0000

I am sharing the tutorial for how I made this wrap card over on Keeping it simple. It's perfect for my Mini Coin Purse, a candy bar or any small gift. Just measure your item and follow the directions found here.

It's a fun way to add a little extra something to your gifts.

Have a happy Friday!

XOXO,

Amy

Mini zippered coin purse- tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:14:00 +0000

There is almost nothing that isn't cuter in miniature- houses, dogs, food- and purses.

This little coin purse is diminutive in size, but large on function. Perfect for summer outings- put in a couple dollars and your I.D. and you're prepared for any last minute snow cone adventures or lemonade stand encounters. The bright colors will help you find it even in the most cavernous beach bag.

Measuring a mere 3" high and 5" wide this coin purse might seem too small to do much, but adding a 1" gusset allows for a surprising amount of space inside. And this little guy is lined with laminated cotton- perfect for keeping out sand and easy clean up if it gets dirty from all those coins.

Are you sold yet? Feeling like you NEED one? I'm here to help. This is a quick sew and uses very little fabric. If you don't have laminated cotton, don't fret, this can be made using any scraps you have on hand.

Let's get sewing.
(*note that the fabrics in the tutorial are a bit different than the final product shots, hope that doesn't add any confusion)

Materials:

fabric- 4 pieces 3 1/2" X 5 1/2" (2 interior and 2 exterior)
*In this example I sewed 2 different fabrics together for the outside of the purse- the flowered cotton was cut to 2 1/2" X 5 1/2" and the laminated cotton was 1 1/2" X 5 1/2". I sewed them together using a 1/4" seam allowance.

fusible fleece- 2 pieces 5" X 3" (not shown)

Zipper- You only need a 5" zipper, but if you have a longer one you can use it instead.

In the picture, you see two small scraps on the zipper- these were going to be a tie on the zipper, but I ended up using laminated cotton instead so it wouldn't fray.

Directions:

1. Fuse the fleece to the wrong side of the exterior pieces

(I waited until I had fused the fleece to top stitch the seam between the two fabrics of my exterior, it helps hold the fleece in place.)

2. Line up one piece of exterior fabric with one piece of lining fabric- right sides together. Slide the zipper between the layers lining it up with the top of the fabric.

(In this photo the pieces are off-set so you can see them all, they should be lined up right on top of each other before sewing)

3. Pin in place, then sew the pieces to the zipper. Pull the fabric away from the zipper, wrong sides together. Press the seam and topstitch.

(*a tip for pinning when using laminated cotton: Pin in the seam allowance so the holes don't show. If you use small pins, the holes in the laminate aren't too bad, but larger pins can leave noticeable holes.)

4. Line up the other pieces of exterior and interior fabrics, right sides together on the opposite side of the zipper. Repeat step 3.

(you can see the bottom of the first side peeking out under the second side. Use the first side as a guide to line up the second side so they are straight)

5. Now we are going to make the pouch. First, you will need to trim the zipper so it is even with the fabric- before you do, make sure your zipper pull is open, and within the pouch, so you don't cut it off completely.

6. Pin the exterior pieces together, right sides together, and the lining pieces together, also right sides together. Fold the zipper toward the lining pieces.

7. Sew around all 4 sides, leaving an opening in the bottom of the lining to allow for turning.

8. Gussets: to make the gusset, you will start with one corner and pull out the sides so the seams are lined up in the middle. Using a ruler and a pen, mark a line where the width of the corner is 1". Sew along that line. Repeat for the other 3 corners. Trim the corners to a scant 1/4" seam.

9. Turn the coin pouch right side out. Sew the opening in the lining closed. Push the lining into the pouch exterior. Press pouch. Take a scrap of laminated cotton and pull through the zipper pull, tie.

Now fill that baby up for gifting, or toss in all your spare change and go enjoy some lemonade.

Tomorrow I'll show you how to create this fun wrap card to gift this to your favorite teacher.

Happy Sewing!

xoxo,

Amy

Linked up to Friday Flair at Whipperberry.

Dear... {a Mom-day post}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 06 May 2013 02:46:00 +0000

Dear Harried Mom of small children- I get it. I'm right there with you. You feel judged, picked on, dirty and smelly (baby barf anyone?). You wonder how you will get through one...more...day. Hang in there. It gets better (promise) and easier. And remember that no one is as hard on you as you are. No one is judging, or criticizing or expecting more of you. That mean voice you're hearing? It's in your head. Tell her to be nice. You are amazing.

Dear Mom of older children who tells me to "enjoy every minute, because you'll turn around and they'll be grow up." Thank you for trying to share your advice and perspective with me. And even though I may roll my eyes- especially when dealing with a shrieking 4 year old, or cleaning up poop or vomit- and think to myself "Yeah- I'm really supposed to enjoy THIS minute?" There are times when I'm about to lose it, and your voice pops into my head and I hold my temper, or my toddler asks me to stop and watch a movie with her, and even though I have a million and one things that I need to do, I remember what you said and I stop and cuddle and breathe in her hair or the smell of his sweat and I smile and try to soak it all in. You are amazing.

Dear Mom who wrote the letter to the "Mom on the i-phone". I appreciate the reminder that sometimes I check out of life a little too often. That there is real life happening all around me and this online community, which I love, is just one small part of the big picture of my life. Thank you for being brave enough to stand up and say that being present is important. You are amazing.

Dear Mom on the i-phone. I trust you to know that balance is necessary in all things. I trust you to know when you need to put the electronics away and be in the moment, and I trust you to know when you're about to lose your mind and you need to reach out and connect with someone before you go stark raving mad. I trust you to find your own tipping point, and while it might be different than mine, I trust that you are doing your very best and I promise to keep my nose out of it unless you ask. You are amazing.

Dear Mom who is trying to do it all. You can't. Things will have to give and only you can know what needs to be at the top of the list and what things you can put off. The guilt you are fighting with doesn't do anyone any good. Let it go. Own your choices, and when you need to re-align things (because changes will always come) do your best to do what matters most to you and don't worry about what the neighbor or your sister, or the PTA president does. They are not you. You are amazing.

Dear Mom of many, or mom of none- You are important. The work you do matters. Any time you influence a child- you change the world. It is a difficult job. It is the difficulty that makes it worth doing. Hold on to the promise that is within each of these precious souls. Remember that no one can do the job the same way you can. Keep on going. You are amazing.

Happy Almost Mother's Day.

You Are Amazing!
xoxo,
Amy

Mother's Day Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 01:48:00 +0000

Sometimes you get a fun opportunity and you just have to get on board. I have the chance to participate with a bunch of bloggers in a fantastic giveaway:

How about the chance to win a gift for your Mom? And if that gift just happened to come in duplicate for you?? Even better.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I would LOVE if one of my readers won! Good luck!!

xoxo,
Amy

The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post.

No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received.** This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.** To qualify to win, you must fill out the Entry. See Rafflecopter for complete rules. This giveaway is compliant with Facebook Promotions Guidelines. Must be aged 18+ to enter & win. Valid only in the United States. Void where prohibited by state or national law.

Creating a Custom Roman Shade- a tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:39:00 +0000

It probably goes without saying, but I LOVE fabric.
I love using fabric to add color to my home, and if it does double duty as a functional item? Bonus!

I love the clean, crisp look of roman shades- plus they are simple to make and can be customized to fit your window and your style. They are wonderful.

Today I'm going to show you how to make your own. I will add a disclaimer that this will require math. Don't let that scare you- you can totally do this.

The post might feel a bit wordy, but I want to make sure you have the tools to figure out your own window- as the measurements will be different than mine. Before we begin, there are a couple of other wonderful tutorials out there that I have learned from here and here. If something is confusing, or you want to see a different way to make it- check them out.

Materials:

Fabric
Blackout lining- usually found near the utility fabrics in your fabric store. (you don't have to use this, but it won't block as much light if you just use muslin or other fabric- and the sun rot will happen faster with regular fabric)
brass rings (again, this helps with the sun rot, but you can use plastic as well)
flat metal rod to weight the bottom of the shade (you can find these at your local home improvement store- you could also use a dowel if you need to)
Wood to brace the shade to the window casing or wall (I like to use 1"X2")
nylon string to pull the shade (along with the brass rings, this can be found in the curtain making section of Joann or Hobby Lobby)
screw eye hooks (a round loop with a post with screw threads on it- you will run your string through this)
staples and a staple gun (if you have them, if not, you can use flat thumb tacks.
Drill and screws for hanging.

The first thing you need to do is measure your window. You need the height (top to bottom) and width (side to side). My window was 47" tall by 46 1/4" wide.
However, since this window is in the basement, I didn't want to install the shade in the window casing like you usually do- I didn't want to lose any of the light in my room. So, I decided I would mount my shade at the ceiling, so when it is open, all the fabric will hang on the wall and not cover the window. The added height made my new measurement 65" tall by 46 1/4" wide.

Now for the math. We need to add seam allowance on the sides, so when we sew the two pieces of fabric together, it will still fit the window. I am using a 1/2" seam allowance, so I need to add 1" to my width.

46 1/4" + 1"= 47 1/4"

For the height, we need to add the seam allowance AND enough fabric to wrap around our wood brace that holds the shade up- my brace was a 1"X2" piece of lumber (which actually measures 1/2" X 1 1/2")- so I added 1/2" (seam allowance) + 1/2" (short side of brace) + 1/2" (OTHER short side of brace) + 1 1/2" (one long side of brace)= 4"

65" + 4" = 69"

New measurement for fabric pieces: 47 1/4" X 69"

Probably the hardest part of the whole process (aside from that math stuff) is accurately measuring the pieces of fabric. The better you do, the more crisp the shade will look in the window. Press your fabric first and make sure you are working on the largest flat surface you can. The less you fold the fabric the straighter the cuts will be.
Cut out your fabric and black out lining to the dimensions you just calculated.

Pin the fabric and lining right sides together. Sew around 3 sides, leaving the top open.
Now, I'm going to show you a neat trick I learned from one of my readers a long time ago. It creates neat, crisp corners without clipping fabric. Are you excited? :)

First, fold the bottom seam along the sewn line. Next, fold over the side, also along the sewn line. Gather up the fabric so you are pinching both sides of the corner together (inside and outside), turn the fabric to the right side, pushing out the corner.

Presto! A nice crisp corner. You may need to use a tool to push it all the way out. Repeat for the other side. (I use this method on my pillows as well)

Now that our shade is sewn, we are ready to add the mechanics to make this work. Decide how you want your shade to hang when it is open. This is where you will have to fiddle with the measurements until you achieve the look you want. I like the look of a graduated shade where the pleats gradually get smaller, but if you want a more uniform shade, you can keep the pleats all the same size- just be aware that if your shade is long, it might bunch up with all the folds in the same place.

I wanted my pleats to cover the wall above the window, so my bottom pleat was 15". I wanted to have the next pleat be just a bit shorter than the last one so it would have a graduated look. I started with a 13" pleat for the second (just an educated guess). The pleat is made when two sets of rings are pulled together, to determine how much length of your shade a pleat will need you multiply the desired length of the pleat by 2. (13" X 2= 26"). The height of my finished curtain is going to be 65", if I subtract the two pleats I am left with 24 inches (65-15-26=24)- this will be folded in half to make the final pleat of 12". So my three pleats, when the curtain is open would measure 15", 13" and 12". In my case it works out pretty well. The difference between the first and second pleat is 2", and the second pleat is only 1" longer than the third which will work just fine- but if the gaps between the pleats weren't so close, you may need to adjust the size of the pleats to even them out. If you have any questions at all- please e-mail me or ask in the comments I will do my best to answer them!

Now that you have the distance for the pleats, decide how many rows of rings you will need. The more rings you have the less it will droop (or you can use the dowel method from this tutorial). I am using 5 rows, I try to keep the space between rows less than 15", but sometimes it's just a number I pick. The first and last row will be 2" from the side of the shade, then divide the remaining space evenly into the remaining sections you have.

Here is my math: My shade is 46 1/4" wide. Two of my rows will be 2" from the sides, taking 4" off the span to be divided- 46"-4"= 42". Since I am doing 5 rows total, I have 3 rows left to space- leaving 4 sections between them. 42" / 4"= 10 1/2". My rings will be spaced from left to right: 2", 12 1/2", 23", 33 1/2" and 44".

This is not to scale, but hopefully it will give you an idea of how to space the rings.

Using your measurements for the spacing of the pleats and the rings, mark your fabric where the rings will go. Sew the rings on at each of the marked spaces, sewing through the lining and curtain fabrics. Using a seam ripper, make a small hole in one bottom, side corner big enough to allow the metal bar to slide in.

If your shade is as big as mine you may need to recruit help to dry fit the shade to your window. You want to make sure the bottom rests on the sill, wrap the extra fabric around your wood brace and staple it into place. (or if you don't have staples, you can use the thumb tacks like I did) Line up your eye screws with the rings and screw them into the brace. Tie your nylon strings to each of the bottom rings and singe to keep the knot from fraying. Run your strings up through the rings and the eye screws to one side (it doesn't matter which side, just determine where you want the strings to come down).

Now we are going to hang the shade. This part gets a bit tricky, again, it might be nice to have some extra hands- one set to drill in the brace, the other to keep the fabric out of the way. You will want to find and mark studs if you are putting this on a wall. If you are hanging it in the window casing, there SHOULD be a header to screw into, but you will want to make sure your shade is anchored well as the tension for pulling it up will put a lot of strain on the brace.

Fit the shade where you want it to go, then lift up the fabric to get to the brace underneath. Using the appropriate screws and a drill, mount the brace to the wall or window. All that is left is to mount a cleat or hook to wrap the string around to hold the shade open.

Thank you for hanging in there with me. I could have simplified this a lot, but it wouldn't have given you all the details you'll need to do it yourself. I know the math might seem scary, but really, it's not too bad. And, I'm here to answer any questions you might have.

xoxo,

Amy
Linked up to Get Your Craft on at Today's Creative Blog, and linked up to Creative showcase at Housewife Eclectic, Motivate me Monday on Keeping it Simple, Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Point of View Reveal- Windows

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:35:00 +0000

We have been loving this year's theme of creating for the "Spots" in your home. I hope we've inspired you a little to make some small (or maybe large) changes in your own homes. This month we are working on Windows- and it was just the excuse I needed to finally make a window covering for my craft room. Want to see what the other Point of View ladies created?

Each month I see the reveal picture and think- "Why didn't I think of that?" Such a great variety of inspiration, right?

Are you ready to get more details? Head over to each of the different tutorials:

Steph from Crafting in the Rain

Leanne from Organize and Decorate Everything

My tutorial for creating a Roman Shade is here

Jonie from Just Between Friends

Ashlee from I'm Topsy Turvy

Megs from The DIY Divas- our guests this month

And if you've created a windows-related project, please share your own inspiration at the link party:

Have a Happy Monday! XOXO

A post-SNAP brain purge {a Mom-day post}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:24:00 +0000

I promised a shot of my living room. This is taken from upstairs looking down. It got much, much worse. ;)

Last week, after weeks of boutique prep, I had the chance to attend SNAP. It's a conference for creative bloggers. It was amazing! The classes were wonderful, timely and well done. The schedule was incredible, the sponsors terrific and the party was top notch! I had a fabulous time connecting with friends new and old and enjoying my time as a person (not a mom) immensely.

Whenever I attend an event like this, I often feel overwhelmed with the enormity of all that I am NOT doing. I will admit that my competitive juices start flowing and I feel a strong yearning to be at the TOP of the dog-pile. My mind races to the list of this' and thats' that I should and could be doing better. Instagramming, Pinteresting, Facebooking, Tweeting, editing, SEO-ing and so on. Things that, if I want this blog of mine to grow, need to be done. I become frantic and frustrated and plain old cross, truth be told.

Then, when I allow the chaos to slow down a bit, I begin to reflect on what my priorities really are. My family, my home, my friends. I'm trying to grow a business and raise 5 children- and very honestly- be the Mom, first and foremost. I realize that all the could do's and should do's are NOT have-to's. They are nice, and definitely help in the race to become "known", but in the grand scheme of what truly matters in this life, to me, they aren't really important at all. At the gates of heaven, there is no requirement for a certain number of followers, or likes or page views.

Creating things helps me be a better mom. It gives me a place to be a person outside of my children. It allows me to fulfill needs deep in my heart that allow for me to bring to my family a whole and happy person. It is something I can't do without finding a way to get it to pay for itself. Selling my creations not only allows me to perpetuate the creative flow, but brings me satisfaction in a myriad other ways as well.

Striking a balance in life is a tricky business. The ebbs and flows are ever changing, creating a need for constant adjustment. Priorities shift and the focus of our lives moves about as the sun orbits the Earth. What works one day might need to be adjusted the next.

I am making deliberate choices- some good and some bad. But all in the attempt to keep at the forefront of my life the things that matter the most to me- my family and my religion. There are times I don't do such a great job of it- but I am constantly adjusting my life to bring those goals back in line.

I hope you know how I appreciate your place in my life. The sharing of comments, the support and encouragement I receive from you cannot be replaced. You make the time keeping a blog consumes all worth it and I greatly value your place in my life.

Thanks for letting me just purge my brain and my heart. Sometimes the filters have to come down and I just need to throw it out there. :) Thanks for being that place for me.

xoxo,
Amy

linked up to Look What I made Wednesday at Creations by Kara

Status report

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:01:00 +0000

I kept putting off making these pillows in multiple colors, and now I can't believe it's taken me so long! I love every single one of them, even if this picture does reveal my complete inability to take decent pictures. The tangerine one does not glow- despite what the picture might lead you to believe. :)

Wallet making is reaching a fever pitch around here. Especially when you have delightful colors like this delicious yellow chevron! I only bought 1 yard of it, and I'm sure it won't be enough to satisfy me. I hope I can get more, otherwise the 12 wallets I'll get out of what I have will just have to do.

The crisp clean look of yellow + navy + gray is just delightful and refreshing. I adore this wallet- in both the yellow and navy exterior.

I had been toying around with the idea of making mini scrap buntings and SNAP was the perfect excuse. I am thinking I'll give them away as a free gift with purchase at The Queen Bee Market. Most of them are random and scrappy, but I think we'll be making lots more of the rainbow ones. There's just something so RIGHT about ROYGBIV. This one will probably be staying put right there in my craft room. :)

Tomorrow I'll show you pics of my living room. It looks like a tornado came through a boutique and left all the damage in one room. :) Oh the joy. T minus 6 days until show time, but with dentist appointments, volunteer hours, and general prep for the conference, I pretty much have tomorrow and Monday. Wish me luck.

XOXO,
Amy

Coming up for air {a Mom-day post}

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:18:00 +0000

The list is never-ending.

so.

much.

to.

do.

For every item I get finished, there are at least 10 more I need to still do.

Then I got sick.

Then the baby.

No sleep.

not fun.

I've decided to just keep going.

As hard as I can.

As long as I can.

What gets done, gets done.

The rest will have to wait for another day.

Thanks for hanging in there with me. I'll try to post pictures of what I'm getting done this week. I'd love your feedback on them. But now, I must get back to sewing. Take advantage of the baby's nap.

Happy Monday.

xoxo,

Amy

My Craft Channel guest appearance is LIVE!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to film an episode of My Craft Studio with Kristine McKay. It was so fun, and makes me feel like a real life star. ;) You can watch the entire episode here.

Actually, if I inspire just one person to bust out their dusty sewing machine, and give it one more try- then I will chalk it up as a success.

If you're here visiting from My Craft Channel- welcome! I hope you can find inspiration and encouragement here at Ameroonie Designs. Look around, put up your feet and enjoy. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

You can find more details and the full tutorial for the Pleated Layers Pillow here:

If you noticed that lovely white pillow and want to see more, you can find the tutorial for the Wavy Ruffle Pillow here:

I would love to have you follow my blog- or like my Facebook page where you'll get extra sneak peeks at what I'm up to.

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

xoxo,

Amy

March Point of View Reveal: Closets

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:52:00 +0000

Is there a closet in your life you hate to look into? A space overrun with stuff, or a place not working for the needs you have? We all have those kind of spaces and this month our goal was to tackle one of them in our homes. Do any of these look like solutions you could use? :)

For more details go check them out:

Morgan- our wonderful guest from The Style Oyster turned a closet into a pretty pantry
Leanne- turned a coat closet into a media closet
Stephanie-created a game closet
Me- I turned our coat closet into shelved storage
Ashlee- made over her boys' closet

After seeing all this great stuff, I think I'm ready to go tackle more closets. :) But first, I want to see what you've done to YOUR closets (because I have quite a few that need some help). So link up!!

And don't forget our previous month's spots still have active link parties:

Door

Organize

We'd love to have you keep adding your great ideas.

Have a Happy Monday.
xoxo,
Amy

Coat closet makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:29:00 +0000

You know that one spot in your house that becomes the dumping spot for every random bit that doesn't have a real home? Ours was this coat closet. It's hard to take a good picture because it's at the end of a narrow hallway, and it's such a small closet, but hopefully this will give you an idea of where we started.

This closet was only wide enough to hang maybe 5 coats. And there was so much wasted space on the top and bottom of the hanging rack. I've been wanting to do this makeover for a few years, so I was grateful for the Closet theme for Point of View to actually give me a deadline to get it done.

After cleaning out all the stuff (coats are now on hooks in the laundry room- we'll share that update on another post), and ripping out the rail and lone shelf, we were ready to get started.

A little joint compound fixed all the holes and marks left from the demolition process. Some sanding and it was time for paint. I just used some we already had on hand, but I'm glad it was yellow- to add some brightness to this small space.

We decided to do rails with adjustable shelves because this closet is so close to the hub of our home- the kitchen and family room- we want to be flexible with how we use it. Right now it is housing books, and over flow office supplies from our new homework area, in an attempt to reign in the visual clutter in the family room.

Are you ready to see the after?

This is as good as I can get of the whole thing. But it gives you an idea of how much more storage we can fit in here.

Here is a more straight on shot. I am so excited to finally have places for everything in here now. After finishing the basement, we are still in "now that this can't be shoved in the basement we need to find it a real home" mode. There are a couple more piles that need to be tackled (under the stairs in the basement is one ;) ) But this is a HUGE step in the right direction.

I have to give a shout out to my sweet husband who did the heavy stuff for me. I appreciate his support so much, even when he'd much rather be doing just about anything else. You're the best hon.

And now back to our regularly scheduled boutique sewing blitz. More updates on inventory progress coming up later this week.

xoxo,
Amy

Two sides- a {mom}-day post

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:45:00 +0000

It's exhausting I tell you, being this cute.

And delightful, all at the same time.

I have been mulling over This post, and agree heartily with everything she said. But, then I read this post- and I also think she has a point. And today I stumbled upon the response the author of the first post wrote and I think she is brilliant. In case you don't want to do all the clicking and reading- I'll sum it up: the first is the "dear-mom-on-the-iphone" letter which basically said: Dear mom- get off your phone and pay attention already. (in a Much nicer and more beautifully written way). The second post is a letter also to said i-phone mom, basically justifying why she is on the phone- definitely written much better than I can give it credit. And the last response says that while she regrets that it may have been received in a way other than she intended it, she stands behind the premise that today's technology robs us of time that would otherwise be spent in more engaged ways.

And I agree, with all of it.

So why bring it up on my blog?

Because I feel like the bigger problem that this whole series of internet interactions has exposed is that as women we don't feel supported and uplifted by each other. We feel judged and criticized and attacked.

It makes me a bit sad.

Instead of finding hope, peace, strength to make positive changes, capacity to deal with life's challenges, love, compassion and understanding- we only see competition, judgement, isolation and intimidation.

We are missing out on so much.

There are always two sides to a story. Yours and hers. You know your side, but more often than not, you are only making a guess as to what her side might be.

I'd like to help.

No matter the circumstance, no matter the words said, no matter the perceived actions: assume the best. Assume misunderstanding, assume good intentions, assume trials or struggles unknown to you.

And you'll be right most of the time.

Very few people are mean on purpose. And I can pretty much guarantee that person you think "hates" you, doesn't. And the mean things you think other people think about you- are only in your mind. And however the situation may "look"- it very likely isn't exactly what you think.

Trust that everyone you meet is doing the very best they can, trying the very hardest they know how, and wanting to be encouraged and loved in exactly the same way you do.

Be the kind of friend you wish you had and you'll be amazed at how much light will flood your life- and the lives of the women who surround you.

Let's end the mommy-wars once and for all- one friendship at a time.

I want to be your friend. A safe place where you see not only the fun things I truly enjoy sewing, but the reality of life with 5 kids, of my failures and shortcoming and insecurities. It might make this blog a bit rougher around the edges than others you'll see, but I hope that it's flaws help you see that the woman behind it is flawed too.

But I'm trying.

XOXO,
Amy

Pillows adding Texture

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:08:00 +0000

I just realized it's been a while since I've posted pillows on the blog. I'm really sorry if it has traumatized anyone. :) I've been cranking out wallets, and design team projects, and never really found time to make more pillows. Well, this week that all changed. I have a couple of boutiques coming up (I think I've mentioned that before) and I'm busy bulking up my inventory. When I first made my Wavy Ruffle Pillow, I made a bunch of them, but all in white. I've been wanting to make one in a different color for a while but never took the time.

I fixed that problem.

It's glorious in gray. But that's just my opinion.

I also wanted to try the Pleated Ruffle Pillow in a solid color- to see if I would like it as a textural pillow instead of showcasing a line of prints.

The emerald color was a stretch for me. It's not something I would normally pick. I'm glad my sister was at Joann's with me when I was buying the fabrics, it's really a lovely pillow.

While I was on a pillow kick- I had two more pillows that I had started a long time ago and finally finished them up. I think this set would be gorgeous on a bed. The pleated ruffle pillow was made using the Capri Collection from Adornit, and the shag pillow was inspired by this tutorial from V and Co. although I modified it a little bit to have a shaggier look.

So now I need your help. I bought several different solid colored fabrics- should I make Wavy Ruffle Pillows or Pleated Ruffle Pillows? You know I trust your opinion.

xoxo,
Amy

Point of View Features- Organize

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:49:00 +0000

I am so glad that we had organizing as one of our first themes for our year of focusing on "spots" in our home. This month's link party was full of fabulous ideas, many of which I intend to put to use in our next "spot"- closets.

Here's the spot I intend to tackle for this month. Our out of control, smaller than small coat closet. I'm posting the before picture now, because as I discovered with this post, if I say it, then I'll be much more likely to do it. :)

And to help me make the most of this space, I'm using inspiration from these awesome projects:

This basement door command center by Home Made Modern is a genius use of space. My closet isn't big, so the back of the door is valuable real estate to use to make the most of it's potential.

The next inspiration for my closet is this pantry by Karen at Journeys. Not only is she my sister, but she did an amazing job packing a ton of storage into a smallish space. AND- the pop of color in the pantry is definitely on my list of makeover projects for the closet.

If you want to see more of the amazing organizing projects, head over to the link party and check them out. And, if you have just finished an organizing project or door themed project, or remembered one in your archives- don't forget the link parties are open all year. We hope to collect as many awesome projects in one place as we can to create a fabulous resource for all the spots in your home.

I better go get to work clearing out that closet- the next Point of View reveal is coming up in just a few weeks on Monday, March 25. I hope to see your closet projects there! :)

xoxo,

Amy

Reporting

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:06:00 +0000

Here are the results from my sewing day yesterday. I actually did get all 4 wallets finished. I have started doing 2 or 3 of the same patterns inside to help speed up the process. I take FOREVER choosing fabrics for a wallet, I thought it would be smarter to invest that time in more than just one. I am also staging them differently, instead of cutting out 2 or 3, then sewing them up, I am cutting out 11 or 12, then sewing in batches. It is definitely making me more efficient. :)

I'm also trying to build a variety of inventory for boutiques. So I took a break from wallets and made these two mini totes. This is one of the patterns I'm working on for my shop. It's a super fun, simple pattern- but Oh so cute! These just need flowers, but in my new- batch thing together to be more efficient- system, that's going to wait for another day.

It definitely helped putting into words my goal for the day. Especially when I felt the draw of Pride and Prejudice, or a nap pulling me in. :)

And thanks for your input on the card holder. I have decided that I'll probably make two versions, one for more moderate card holders and another for those who are hardcore. In fact, that's the agenda for today. I love playing with new ideas.

And, it's Friday! Could today get any better? Oh, wait- YES it can!! I just found out my Bestest blogging friend is coming out to join me for this amazing retreat. September can't get here soon enough! Maybe you'll join us too?

Happy weekend everyone!

xoxo,

Amy

Behind the scenes

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:39:00 +0000

So, posting on the blog has been sporadic at best lately.

It's not that I haven't been doing anything.

I have been working hard.

Making wallets:

I think this gray/yellow exterior is yummy!

Making scripture totes:

I was really hoping these would be "boy" enough for my nephew. He picked the blue/brown stripe- so I guess it was a success. Still not sold on the dot fabric. It might be too juvenile for an 8 year old. Thoughts?

Working on new patterns. I've noticed that women carry TONS of frequency/loyalty cards with them anymore. I thought it would be fun to have a cute way to keep them organized. And perhaps in the car instead of your purse? This one is still in progress. I think 12 slots isn't enough for most people. How many cards do you carry?

And then there have been Point of View projects, Design team projects, and background work as I start to put together an "official" business- complete with taxes and everything *gasp*, writing and testing patterns for my pattern shop opening soon, all on top of keeping up with a crazy bunch of kids and all the life they bring with them.

It's been quite a trip these last few months.

I'm still trying to give myself space to enjoy, but for some reason, the inner me craves chaos or something- because I seem to be really good at over extending myself. There are also 2 boutiques coming up I'm considering selling at. I'm for sure doing one, just debating the other.

Oh money, why are you so necessary? And yet not? I've also started reading Walden by Thoreau, again. I tried before, but it's not the easiest read for me. Plus- sometimes I get annoyed by his tone. But, I think there's something important tucked between the lines I need to hear. So we're at it again.

Life is messy, busy, crazy and incredibly happy. I'm loving every nail-biting, hair-raising moment of it.

Happy Thursday!

It's my sewing day. Hoping to finish up 4 wallets that are in process and get some mini-totes cut out. Perhaps writing it down, and promising to post results of my efforts, will add fuel to my fire? I'll report tomorrow.

xoxo,

Amy

Doodlebug Design Team Project

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:20:00 +0000

I don't know that I've ever announced it over here on the blog, but I have been lucky enough to be selected to work with Doodlebug Designs this year on their design team as the fabric specialist. I have been a fan of their products for a long time, and their bright colors and fun designs are all part of the fabric they design for Riley Blake, so it's a dream come true for me to work with them.

Today my second project is up on their blog, and I'd love for you to pop over and say Hi!

Here's a little sneak peek, but you'll have to click over to see the full project.

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo,

Amt

Point of View Reveal- Organize

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:27:00 +0000

One small project a month, one small area at a time- we are working this year on "Spots" in our home. There's nothing like a deadline and a link party to keep you moving forward with projects- right?

The theme this month is Organize. And here are our Points of View:

So great, right? I love how each of us did something different, and nothing is super hard, but every project will help make our lives just a bit better.

We'd really like to thank Hilda from "From Overwhelmed to Organized" for being our guest this month. You can check out her project here.

And you can find the other projects at the regular places:

Steph from Crafting in the Rain

Leanne- Organize and Decorate Everything

My project is Here

Jonie- Just Between Friends

Ashlee from I'm Topsy Turvy

Now, it's your turn to reveal your Organizing projects, link up anything- old or new- and inspire us to get our homes in order.
We are doing something new this year and leaving the link parties open all year long. So if you get inspired, and decide to join us in our Spots projects, don't worry if you don't get them done the month we post- just come link up any time and we'll be spotlighting projects all through the year on our Pinterest boards, Facebook pages and feature posts on the blogs.

Thanks so much for being part of Point of View.
xoxo,
Amy

Organizing papers

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:26:00 +0000

I have revealed in previous posts that my kitchen counters are usually in a major state of disarray. From papers, to craft supplies, to kid stuff- everything gets dumped in the corner and left there. Now that our basement is finished- we are land locked. Everything we are keeping needs a place to live- no more squatting on my kitchen counters. :)

One problem is kids' homework. I'm sad to say we've lost more than one assignment in the abyss that was the mess of the counter.

I've had this hanging organizer from Ikea for a couple of months now, but never bothered to put it up. This month's Point of View project was just the push I needed to finally get it done.

I pulled out my trusty washi tape and put a couple rows on each folder- that way the kids would know which one was theirs. I love the color it adds to a pretty plain piece.

You'll notice it's still on the floor. I'm waiting for hubby to hang it for me. This thing is going to be holding a lot of papers which can get heavy and I want it in there good. If anyone knows how to hang something that isn't going anywhere, it's my husband. :) Hopefully it will be up tonight, and I can edit this post later and show you how it looks in it's final spot.

Do you have any great organizing tips? Come link them up at our Point of View party and join the fun.

xoxo,

Amy

linked up to Friday Flair at Whipperberry

V is for Valentine

noreply@blogger.com (Amy at Ameroonie Designs) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 03:28:00 +0000

The week of love. Who can resist? Certainly not me.
Luckily it was my turn to host preschool. Amazingly, my letter was "V". (actually, I traded so that I could do the letter "v" the week of Valentine's Day- It should have been my turn next week. ;) But, we'll just go ahead and assume it was fate.)
The first day of preschool was "V" is for volcano. We made a volcano out of playdough and had it erupt with baking soda and vinegar. The kids loved it. We also watched some you-tube videos of volcanoes erupting. They asked to watch one video of a scientist going down into a volcano to study it, as he repels down into the volcano, one little girl turned her head and said "I don't think I can watch this". They were so worried he was going to get hurt.
But the second day of preschool was reserved for all things Valentine and love. The first part of preschool we spent making 'vases' out of toilet paper rolls, along with flowers, so we can surprise our moms.

The kids had a blast picking out papers, coloring flowers and "stems" and decorating the papers.
After play time, it was time for our party. We borrowed one of the Minute to Win It games I had help prepare for the 5th grade party later in the week. Using a straw we shot cotton swabs at paper hearts cut out and placed on the floor. I just gave the kids their stuff and let them have at it. No winners, no losers. Then we had snacks- Vanilla wafers, Vanilla yogurt (we had done Vegetables the first day- they weren't really a hit ;) ) and marshmallows. Then we decorated boxes.
The boxes I had picked up after Christmas last year from Walmart. I am finding that it's been very helpful to just stock up on Stuff to have on hand and use for projects like this. :) Then we traded Valentines.

It was a very fun party.