it’s not exactly a print i think of for warm weather months, but it works! after i took this picture i actually tweaked it a bit (and didn’t get an actual final outcome picture)…but see how it’s kind’ve bare in the front? (the owls are spread out throughout the fabric, and when i was cutting, didn’t realize the actual end placement would be so empty..) so, right in the middle front, i ended up cutting out an oval owl from some of the leftover remnant, and stitching it right in the front with a coordinating yellow thread, so that the owl would grab your attention when looking at it!

the first one is like an actual wallet. it’s longer, with  slots on the side for the passport and ticket, and smaller slots on the opposite side that could carry cards or cash.

(i figured my friend would probably be the one in charge of carrying everything since most likely she’d be carrying a purse anyways, so i made the passport wallet in the feminine style…that way, if she was in charge of carrying all three passports, they’d all fit in here).

once i tweak the designs and get them to where i want them, i’ll definitely be adding these little accessories to the shop!

she came across a few more prints she loved and wanted tote bags made from them. the first two are heavier bags, lined with fusible fleece and stabilizer, and the last two are just simple totes with only fusible interfacing.

this first one is one of my favorites. i love the feel of the Japanese cotton-linen blend!

i love the third bag because i’m also a huge fan of Paul Frank! love that there is a fabric out there that captures Julius with all his buddies!

and lastly, another lightweight Hello Kitty tote in pink!

these are slightly different from my previous messenger/laptop bags because they actually have side panels sewn in, rather than sewing the two front and back panels together, and folding up the bottom corners to make the boxy shape (i don’t know what the technical term is!)

both of the fabrics my sister chose were from the local Jo-ann’s.

this first one is my favorite! it reminds me so much of the latest fabric trend of following Indian styles. it’s bright, fun, and colorful, and i love the flowers and all the different shapes and patterns!

and because we’re like two peas in a pod, my sister also found a bird print she liked (i had to laugh when i pulled it out of the bag, because i considered buying the same print in the blue version!)

since this is also my nephews last year of preschool (oh.my.gosh! he’s starting kindergarten in the fall?!) my sister wanted to do a little something for all the teachers in his class. since there are quite a few, we decided on some reusable coffee cozies. these are really quick to whip up, and since i have so many scraps, each was a completely different design. we put them on a disposable coffee cup, then put a Starbuck’s giftcard inside, and i even stuck a wooden stirrer in the lid, with the teacher’s name on it.

both these gifts are great especially if you have a little one with multiple teachers! buying gifts for more than one teacher can get costly, especially in this economy! they’re both affordable, and the teachers will also love the originality!

why a dollhouse? have you seen this site. i really love it. everything is just so cute and whimsical. have you seen her studio? ahh, that would be my dream. a tiny little cottage studio where i can just sew away! that would truly be darling. here’s the inside. i love the way the fabric is stored, and then to have more fabric in the dollhouse! really, it just takes my breath away, it’s so darn cute and perfect!

anyways…i didn’t find any of the things i’d hope to find. i did come across a lady selling a Babylock overlocker. i didn’t know much about overlockers, and i wasn’t sure if it was the same thing as a serger (and i’ve actually thought about getting a serger, thought i’ve been hesitant because the whole machine just looks busy and complicated). she wanted $50 for the machine, and i thought long and hard about it. the machine was originally over $200, but it was an older machine and i worried about the condition it was in, and really $50 is a bit to spend at a yard sale right? so, i didn’t get it. then…i got home and did some research on the machine, and kicked myself for not getting it because, duh, an overlocker IS the same as a serger, and the cheapest i’ve seen a new one is around $200, and from what i heard at the repair shop i go to, Babylocks are pretty good machines. why i didn’t google it on my phone while i was at the yard sale is beyond me! ahhhh…live and learn! i just keep telling myself that because it was an older machine i’d probably spend at least $100 on getting in maintenanced, so at that point spending $200 on a brand new machine would be more worth it! but boy, it would’ve been fun to add a vintage machine to my collection huh?!

i tell you what, if i DID have a serger, i’d be able to make more of these!

one of my best sellers has always been items made from Sandi Henderson’s Dahlia fabric (this may be the last item i have listed for a while since i’ve finally used up most of the fabric i have…time to order some more!)

this set includes a chenille bib (with pearly snap closure), and two fabric decorated burp cloths (one in pink and one in white). i decided to add some ribbon tags on the burp cloths because i had some requests for them to be made that way (some parents like to be able to add those plastic infant toy links to them so they can just clip them to their diaper bag or stroller allowing easy access…if this is something you’d like to see more of, please let me know!) the set also comes tucked inside a cute “paint tin” that is clear but has colorful butterflies on it. the colorfulness of the set just screams spring to me, so i think it’s perfect for all the babies that are about to bloom! and with it being in the tin, it’s ready to give if you are looking for a baby shower gift!

i also added another nursing apron since the last one in my shop sold! this apron is made with fabric from Moda called Birdie (part of the Me & My Sisters collection). the aqua and pink remind me so much of Sandi Henderson’s Dahlia collection, but it also has birds on it- my fav!

and last, since i do get quite a few orders on hair clips, i decided it’d probably be best if i did include some smaller sets in the shop. i have a couple more sets that will be listed in the next few days, but for now i have a Pretty In Pink set.