My Biscuit Pillow!!

It felt so great to be back sitting behind my sewing machine again Sunday afternoon!!  Sewing was a passion of mine for a long time when my children were small and I've only sewn off and on since then.  But Jessica received a very nice Singer sewing machine for Christmas from her mother-in-law, Robyn, and has graciously let me 'try it out' !!  I love it!!  It's quite a bit different from my old Singer as far as threading and how the bobbin is loaded but other than that, it's awesome!!  I'm seeing a new sewing machine in MY near future as well !!!

I posted a picture of the charms packet I purchased at Jo-Anns before Christmas (refer to this post!) and due to time constraints I never got to make any of those projects I had anticipated for Christmas.  SO . . . . I'm on them now!!!  My first project was the Biscuit Pillow for my mama and this fabric from the charms packet was so perfect as it is 'so her'!!  Back in the day when I first began making them, I made smaller 'biscuits' and actually made a ruffle to go around it.  I changed it up a bit and made the puffy biscuits an inch larger, made the backside into a biscuit as well, and didn't add the ruffle.  And the lap throw isn't actually a 'lap' throw because I ran out of fabric!!   I don't know what it will be but when mama receives it, she will love it and find a place and use for it!!  She's such a grateful recipient of anything we present to her, especially hand-made gifts!  It's nothing fancy or extraordinary but as I said in the above mentioned post, the fabric reminds me of her so much and she had mentioned how she always loved those pillows I had made years ago, so it did my heart good to make her one!!

Now I'm off to my day-job - but I've already cut most of the pieces for my next project that I hope to start working on this afternoon or tomorrow evening!  It feels great to be sewing again! 

Jenn

My First 'Topstitch' Cards!

I had a great time today (during Madalyn's nap!) crafting with the Close to My Heart 'Workshop on the Go' kit, Topstitch!  I see why everyone's been blogging about and sharing artwork they've created with this kit!  The patterned paper is gorgeous and the color palette is great - Chocolate, Baby Pink and Heavenly Blue!

First, I created one of the cards from the Card Workshop portion of the Workshop Guide that comes in the kit.  I really liked this one but seeing the finished project, in person, is gorgeous!!  Jeanette Lynton and the Art Department at Close to My Heart are so very talented, it's amazing the designs and patterns they come up with!

So here's a replica of Card #1 from the guide:

Supplies used:
X7120B Topstitch Level 2 Paper Packet
Z2102   Baby Pink Ink Pad
Z2111   Chocolate Ink kPad
Z1276   Mini-Medley Accents Colonial White Collection
Z1104  Clear Sparkles
Z1096  Embroidery Floss Neutral Assortment
Z1114  Piercing Tool Kit
Z697   Sponge
Workshop stamp set is 'Love Is in the Air'  (available only in the Workshop Kit)

And . . . this second card is my attempt to create something without a pattern!!  Like I've said in previous posts, I'm creatively challenged, which is why I absolutely LOVE Close to my Heart's Program Books which contain beautiful pictures of the artwork along with the blueprints and full instructions to make gorgeous cards and scrapbook pages!!  So here's my custom creation!!

You can order all the supplies to make cards like these plus many more PLUS beautiful scrapbook pages!!  Just click here to shop right where you are and you'll be crafting with 'Topstitch' in a few short days!

Jenn

My little 'Sweetheart'!!

Miss Madalyn likes to crawl down the steps herself since

she's such a big girl!! 

My little sweetheart spent the day with me and we stepped outside for just a few minutes to listen to the birds singing!  We could hear them through the window and she would make the 'Ohhhhhh' face and listen real intently.  So I decided to grab my camera and get a few shots of her before it got any cooler!  And of course, you guessed it, she did

NOT want to come back inside!!

Now, she actually posed her little self when I said "Smile at Mammy sweet baby girl" and she did really good - Only she forgot the smiling part!!  And she has such a beautiful smile!!

Then the birds began their singing again at the neighbor's house in their big tree.  Madalyn immediately turned her little head toward them!

She sat like this for a long while, listening and looking.  Then I told her we would soon have to go inside and she took off!!  When I ran after her and said, "You'd better come back here little girl" , she thought that was funny and giggled a little but I still didn't get her smile!

But then she gave me a half smile and even that melts my heart!!

 

I'm so blessed with wonderful children and grandchildren!

I just wanted to share some shots I took today while enjoying Madalyn's company!

She's a wonderful "Sweetheart"!!

Of course, I'll be using Topstitch Kit to scrapbook these pictures.

Jenn

Fun Snow Day!!

We had such a great time in the snow !!  No school and no work for Mammy !!!  Little Madalyn was amazed and didn't seem one bit phased by how cold it was, Coop enjoyed making tracks in the snow and Nick engaged in a snowball fight with his mama!!  They also built a great snowman!!