City Slicker Bag - final bag of the month

I'm very excited to share my final Sew Sweetness Bag of the month club bag - the City Slicker, designed by Chris W Designs.  This is the advanced version and I admit there were a few times I thought I bit off more than I could chew since it was my first time tackling an advanced pattern.  But, it was very well written and there were lots of pictures to follow. Mainly they were my mistakes and slight tendency for perfection that caused me the most grief.  Luckily, she has an intermediate version for sale as well.  It is aptly made with Sara Lawson's Limited Edition Jungle Ave prints for Art Gallery fabrics (click here to see the Jungle Ave Lookbook).  I have to tell you, if you have NEVER felt these fabrics or even bought them, you are missing out!  I do not understand how they get them so soft, but they are just divine. They make wonderful clothing too!

Here is the back of my City Slicker.  This was my first time making a Welt pocket (it's basically a trimmed slip pocket and I must say, it was pretty cool and easy to do!  

Since I LOVE my Michael Miller Mirror Ball Dots, I had to throw some in the mix with this bag, so I used the orange! I love how the inside of my bag has an unexpected POP now!  

 As you can see, there are LOTS of pockets inside this bag - I love it!

Here is a picture of all 6 bags that started in January; it was so fun getting a new pattern on the first of the month, that I figured when July 1 rolled around I was going to be sad.  I had mixed feelings of course, because I needed to finish June's bag (it took me FOREVER) and there were other projects I wanted and needed to complete!  Overall, this was a great experience - if you missed out on it this time, don't when the opportunity presents itself!  A few weeks ago my friend asked me how many bags/purses I have sewn and I finally counted, I think it was 18 but I gave away some recently.  I think I have a little obsession.  

Linking up to the following link parties:  Threading Your Way; Think Pink Sundays; Sewcanshe ; Bag Bag Tuesday; Show & Tell Saturdays; Sew Can Do; Sewjo Saturday

An Improv Mug Rug

I really need to be better about blogging, so here is a mug rug (First Improv piecing EVER) I have to share with you.  I know one thing for sure - IMPROV is fun!  I know that there are folks who need structure and a 'plan' or pattern for when they sew that this definitely is not the technique for them.  But, for using up scraps and having fun it is just the thing to try!  Some scraps were bought from a destash sale (courtesy of Instagram) and some were from my stash.  All are Amy Butler fabrics. I needed a newer mug rug at work and wanted to practice more free-motion quilting and this is a great practical piece to do just that.  Believe it or not, the binding was even part of those scraps - the seller already had it assembled, it just had to be cut down.  Serendipitous!!

Here is the back where you can see my not so perfect free-motion quilting.  Actually, I think it is pretty decent compared to what I did when I first started!  Definitely need more practice!  I took patterns from Angela Walters Free-Motion quilting book, which is great!  

Sharing this on Made By You Monday; Threading My Way; 

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Lark Mini

 Here is my entry for the Jaybird Quilts Sew Along hosted by Sara - Sew Sweetness.   I used Amy Butler Lark fabrics (printed) and RJR fabrics (blue solid) and Kona cotton (green solid) which were all from my stash (score!).  I used a portion of the Raspberry Dessert pattern from Skip the Borders.  I really love that pattern but I was really unsure how it would translate to prints since Julie used all solids in her sample for the book.  Click here if you'd like to see hers

I kept the quilting simple since I used Kona grey on the back, I wanted the diamonds to pop.  I also used hand sewn hexagons also from my stash from YEARS ago I was waiting for the perfect project to feature them in.  It was a no brainer to use them on this mini.  Some of those fabrics are from Soul Blossoms and some kona solids.

I have to tell you I finally used my binding ruler I got from The Fat Quarter Shop a few months ago, and it made doing the binding a breeze!  Check out owner Kimberly's awesome video to see how it works.  I always learn such great tips in her videos!  I highly recommend this if you make quilts, it takes the guesswork and frustration out of making your binding line up!!

thanks for stopping by!

Poolside Tote - May Bag of the Month

Here is my May Bag of the Month club - the Poolside tote.  This club is hosted by Sara of Sew Sweetness and runs through June.  It's not too late to sign up and get 6 patterns for only $40 by 6 of the top bag pattern designers out there. There will even be prizes available as long as you finish and upload all your bags to the Flickr group by the end of June. May's bag pattern is brought to us by Anna of Noodlehead    She has great patterns, (some are even free on her blog).  I had the hardest time picking out fabrics for this bag.  I was at Joann's for over 2 hours, taking pics and texting them to my husband to get his feedback on them.  Most times we agree on colors and stuff, but this time he didn't care for much of what I was coming up with for a combination.  Finally, I settled on this combination and the pic never even came across to him but when I got home and showed it to him, he really liked it!  I used red canvas for the exterior and loved the little print for the handles so I grabbed coordinating colors I like together for the bag interior (the blue reminds me of the water) and black and white crosshatch for the trim to tie in with the small print flowers.  

This pattern was so easy to follow and came together rather quickly.  I think picking out the fabrics is what took me the longest!!  I decided to include some interior pockets of the small print.  This bag is HUGE, will be perfect to tote along everything you need for a visit to the pool or the beach because your rolled up towel will fit in there for sure, along with your sunscreen, book, keys, sunglasses and more!!  

Sharing in the following link parties: Think Pink Sundays, Sew Darn Crafty

New portable countertop ironing board - DIY

This is a project I have been wanting to do for a while now and finally had a board to use and made the time!!  Previously, I had a small countertop ironing board but I didn't like that it wasn't flat on the counter.  Since my brother-in-law is building a house right now, and I saw he had boards laying around, I asked him if his contractor had any trash ones he wasn't going to keep.  Well, he didn't at the time but a week or so later, the contractor saved me about 3 pieces to choose from.  How nice was that?  This one actually is a shelf, just the right size but I do have a much larger piece of plywood I am saving just in case I want something bigger in the future.  One thing I've noticed after using this a few days is that my ironing has been crisper and I am happy about that.  My inspiration to make this came from The Crafty Gemini who used a recycled puzzle board. 

Here are my supplies: board, cotton batting, Indie Artgallery fabric, non slip shelf liner (or rug grip) for the bottom and hot glue gun.  The first thing you want to do is cut your batting a few inches bigger than the board.  Then cut your fabric a little bigger than the batting.  Lastly, cut your non slip grip the same size as the board and set that aside. 

Next, you glue the batting down while pulling it taut and miter the corners to reduce bulk. 

The next thing you want to do is add your fabric and glue down and miter the corners, similar to how you would wrap a present in the corners.  

Then fold that triangular part and glue down. 

Here it is on the back with the non slip grip stuff glued on.  

and here it is completed  - action shot!  totally didn't even realize it was going to match my Oliso so well.  Serendipitous!  I just grabbed some fabric from my stash that was pretty enough to look at all the time!  I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial with all the pics and it may inspire you to make an ironing board for yourself.  If you do, I'd love for you to share yours with me!  

thanks for stopping by!  Linking up with Sewjo Saturday; Richard and Tanya Quilts; Show & Tell Saturday; Think Pink Sundays; Sew Darn Crafty; Made by you Mondays

Yellow Brick Road quilt top

Here is the current quilt I am working on, I finished the top in a little over a week (not bad in my opinion) and I am mostly satisfied with it. What I am not satisfied with is the big C of blue on the upper left quadrant that we were not able to detect when laying out the blocks on the floor.  I am convinced I need to make a design wall more than ever!  Especially since I love quilting so much, why not invest in something that would make my quilting a little easier?    

She is another reason I need a design wall - this beauty just could not refrain from hanging out on my blocks which she messed up several times!  I finally had to put her in the spare bedroom just so I could finish.  She is a hot mess most of the time!    

The fabric I used was a bundle of fat quarters of Michael Miller Fairy Frost I got from The Fat Quarter Shop more than 2 years ago when they have their daily deals for Christmas.  If you have never checked that out, you need to, I believe it starts on Dec 1 and goes until Christmas Day.  I took it to a LQS The Cotton Cupboard a few months later and the owner helped me find Soul Garden by Carolyn Gavin for P&B Textiles, which was a perfect match for the Fairy Frost!  I originally had plans to make a queen size quilt but then we bought a king size bed and traded our queen for a full size so now it will be full size.  Definitely the biggest I have made.  Still trying to decide how to quilt it or I may just tie it.  I have fabrics picked out for the back I will share soon.  I have SO MANY WIPs (most ever since I have been sewing), but it's so exciting!!!  

thanks for visiting!!

Time for a change

I figured it was time for a change.  I created this blog to replace my former Serenity in Stamping {click if you would like to see it} blog because I find serenity not just in stamping anymore but in crafting in general since I have so many interests. It just seemed like it was time to transition away from the specificity of that blog title.  Plus, it seems as if that blog is no longer accessible and I have no idea what's up with that.

I hope that you will find some inspiration along my journey that I share with you.  Thanks for visiting!!