One Little Dausdhund Went Out to Play....

With her three babies! Isn't this the cutest thing you have ever seen on my blog??? I got the pattern online at www.audreyandmaude.blogspot.com . It was designed by Cathy Porter and when I saw it I just had to order. I intended to make several sets for Christmas but this is the only one that was actually completed. It went to one of my "great grand" nieces. It has several parts that are sewn on by hand and I am waiting to see how they hold up to loving and playing before I complete any more of them. They are fun to make and take very little fabric, so I plan to make a few more in the future.

This was probably one of my favorite gifts to give this season. I probably had more fun making and watching the little dogs be created than anyone will have playing with them, and that makes it even more rewarding. I love that this year my preparations for Christmas were almost as enjoyable as seeing the receipients open their gifts.

Mom and I made several homemade items to give. She crocheted lots of hats and scarfs and we also made lots of fabric alphabet letters that went out to all the smallest great grandchildren to help them as they learn to read and spell. They didn't seem overly thrilled with those as gifts, but I think that once all the new, flashy and bright toys get old, they will find that these are a fun way to learn and play at the same time. I especially hope that my niece who homeschools her children will find many uses for them. We found the pattern online as well at www.ohsohappytogether.blogspot.com. And it is a free download. My favorite!

Sew, with Christmas behind us, we are starting to look forward projects we can do for the coming year. We each have a stack of ideas and plans. Let's just see if we can stay motivated to get some things finished. We already made 2 more scarfs, so we are already stocking up for next Christmas! YEA!

I Have Been Away from Blog......

To all my faithful blog followers, you two or three know who you are, I am finally back at the computer. I took some time off for Christmas and to be sick, get well, get sick again, get well, get sick again....well I think you get the overall bad picture. School started back up today, so I decided to get back to work as well. I downloaded all my Christmas pics (never as many as I thought I was taking) and started looking through them for some interesting blog material. I'm still looking.

My computer is located in a rather cold part of my house and currently my feet and fingers are freezing cold, but nevertheless, I will continue looking around in my computer files for interesting material to blog about. (I know that is wrong sentence structure to end sentence with a preposition, but saying interesting material about which to blog, is just so "not me".) So, for my young, still in English class, followers, ignore all gramatical things you see here. This is not an English lesson!

I will be posting a few more holiday topics while they are still fresh in my memory, so I hope you will begin checking again for new and exciting news from me! Sew kidding!

Christmas Projects

So, a few days before Christmas, I stopped off at my favorite thrift shop in Huntington Tx, Second Blessings, and found this cute picture in a blond wooden frame for just $1.00. Immediately, I had a vision for what it would become.




I went to my stash of paint and found these colors.



I started painting the frame until I got just the right affect I was looking for.

And here is the finished gift! I had previously traced off the three girls hand prints earlier in the month, and then I just traced them onto a piece of scrap fabric and embroidered in different colors that blended nicely with the frame. Beginning cost of frame, $1.00. Final cost of gift, priceless!

Little Christmas Dresses

These are two of my "great" nieces that I had the privilege to keep this weekend. Of course, at the last minute, I decided they needed Christmas dresses to wear to church on Sunday. I had planned ahead just enough to have purchased red turtle necks shirts with hopes that I had enough fabric and trim in my stash to come up with something. So, late Saturday evening, during and after dinner preparations, I just whipped these out! I cut off the bottom of the shirts and gathered up some Christmas fabric and attached to make the dress part. When the girls tried them on I could see that they still needed a little something....... so, I looked through my trims and found this beautiful gold wired ribbon that I had been saving for something special, and this was it! The gold belts added just the right touch, don't you think? I still have one more dress to make for my other niece and will probably do that in the morning so I can get in the mail so that they can wear to their church this next Sunday. I can't believe that Christmas is almost here and then right around the corner a new year! Is it just me, or is time speeding up?

Sew it seems to me...... I will try to get in a few more posts before next year, lol.

New Baby Quilt

This is going out in the mail today for my friend Meghan's newborn niece. I actually started and finished it all in one day and was prepared to mail it in time to arrive for the baby shower on Saturday. Just as I was about to finish, I checked my email and found out that mom and baby were on the way to the hospital. Sure enough, when I finally get something done on time, it is still late because baby decided to come early. The Baby arrived yesterday weighing in at 6lbs 6 ounces. I think this quilt weighs more than she does!! Anyway, I think it turned out cute. Meghan picked all the fabrics and just handed me the sack. So, Meghan, this is how it turned out. I hope you and new mom and baby like it!!

FBC - Zavalla - Trunk or Treat 09

Here I am with my mom and that's my sister in the pilgrim outfit above. We parked in our church lot and gave candy from our trunks. Everyone that participated did great jobs decorating up their vehicle. Mom and I are dressed as beauty pageant contestants. You can't tell from the picture, but mom is Miss Understood, and I am Miss Demeanor. The weather was perfect and we all had a great time. Lots of kids came by to get candy and several parties on hayrides. Can't wait to decide what to do for next year!

Pretty Little Purse

Yesterday I was looking through my favorite craft blog, www.oneprettything.com and I found this purse shown with a free pattern so I downloaded and made it all in the same day. Whoo Hoo! That's a first for me! The designer is Lazy Girl designs and you can find it here: www.lazygirldesigns.com. I will definitely be making more of these and experimenting with different fabrics. The website has a free download of the pattern. It is called the Noriko Handbag. Anyway, super fast to make and requires very little fabric. A great way to use up my stash!